Cyprane Penthrane vaporizer, which consists of (a) a hollow cylindrical chamber which is closed on the top and bottom; the back of the top has a hollow cylindrical piece of metal attached; this leads downwards and is open at the bottom; the top of the vaporizer has a dial marked in increments from …
Cyprane Penthrane vaporizer, which consists of (a) a hollow cylindrical chamber which is closed on the top and bottom; the back of the top has a hollow cylindrical piece of metal attached; this leads downwards and is open at the bottom; the top of the vaporizer has a dial marked in increments from "off" to 1.0% Penthrane; there is a piece of metal with a plastic knob which moves right and left and adjusts the dial; the front top of the vaporizer has an open round nozzle; the lower front has a square metal and glass level indicator at the left and a funnel-shaped fill nozzle at the right; this nozzle is plugged with (b) a cylindrical metal and plastic stopper with a round handle at the top and threading at the bottom; the bottom of the vaporizer has a small round drain hole with a threaded piece of metal coming out; this is covered with (c) a round metal cap which is threaded inside.
Number Of Parts
3
Part Names
a - Penthrane vaporizer - Size: Length 19.4 cm. x Width 10.2 cm. x Depth 14.4 cm.
b - filler stopper - Size: Length 5.7 cm. x Diameter1.9 cm.
c - drain cap - Size: Length 1.8 cm. x Diameter2.0 cm.
(a) A manufacturer's label on the right side reads, "THIS IS A DRAW OVER VAPORIZER FOR USE WITH // PATIENT DEMAND MACHINES OR FLUOTHANE/AIR. // IT IS NOT SUITABLE FOR CLOSED CIRCUIT ANAESTHESIA // IT IS NOT DESIGNED FOR CONTINUOUS LOW FLOWS // FOR THIS PURPOSE USE A FLUOTEC // PATENT APPLIED FOR // CYPRANE LTD. KEIGHLEY, YORKS. // MADE IN ENGLAND."; the top dial reads, "SERIAL No 179 // & // PENTHRANE" and is marked, "OFF" and in increments from 0.1 to 1.0; the front of vaporizer is stamped, "PENTHRANE"; the level indicator has a line and the word "FULL" etched into the glass
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-F2-5
Condition Remarks
The vaporizer arrived dirty and dusty; the metal shows only minor wear, and no corrosion; the glass and plastic pieces are complete and undamaged; there was a small amount of sticky residue visible on the metal; one of the screws holding the plastic knob on the dial is missing; #2 no new damage
Abbott Laboratories manufactured methoxyflurane, sold under the brand name Penthrane, from 1961 to 2001. A fluorinated ether, methoxyflurane was first synthesized in 1958 by Dow Chemical Company. It was one of several compounds investigated by anesthesiologists Joseph F. Artusio, Jr., M.D. (1917-2011) and Alan Van Poznak, M.D. (b. 1927). They published their research into the clinical use of methoxyflurane in 1960. A number of other positive reports quickly followed and it seemed that methoxyflurane was a perfect inhalation anesthetic: nonexplosive and nonflammable with fast induction and recovery times and few adverse effects. It has also been used for analgesia (pain relief), in such products as Abbott's Analgizer, a self-administration inhaler. Studies showing its potential kidney and liver toxicity caused methoxyflurane to fall out of favor in the United States by the late 1970s.
Exhibit History
On exhibit in Museum gallery, Anaesthesia exhibit - Oct. 2, 1997-Nov. 2, 2001; returned to storage on Dec. 17, 2001