Dr. Ralph and Mrs. Olga Crawford Canadian Dental Collection
Category
Diagnostic & Treatment Artifacts
Classification
Dental
Accession Number
010020543
Description
Empty eliptical brown glass bottle with short neck and black plastic screw cap with attached black rubber bulb dropper; back of the bottle with vertical embossed grooves; paper label with red border.
Empty eliptical brown glass bottle with short neck and black plastic screw cap with attached black rubber bulb dropper; back of the bottle with vertical embossed grooves; paper label with red border.
Number Of Parts
1
Provenance
Transfer from the Dental Canada Fund; previously housed in the Dentistry Canada Museum (Ottawa)
Drug Information On-line (drugs.com); CAMEO Chemicals; CD #5
Research Facts
Liquified phenol is made from liquified carbolic acid by the addition of 10% water, is poisonous and its anesthetic qualities will numb rather than burn skin. Phenol (C6H5OH) has a distinct odour that is sickenly sweet and tarry. A colourless liquid when pure, otherwise pink or red. Commercial phenol is a liquid that evaporates more slowly than water. Pharmacy bottles were designed with built in hazardous warnings by adding raised vertical grooves, or embossed stars when the contents were poisonous. The tactile reminder eliminated possible improper use, especially in poor lighting for the customer. Dr Ralph and Mrs Olga Crawford donated their extensive Canadian dental collection to the DCF to create the museum in 1997; further donations were received while Dr Crawford was Curator Emeritus at the Dental Canada Museum until its closure in 2008.