Empty rounded square based semi-transparent blue glass Calomel bottle (a) with removable cylindrical grey metal screw cap (b); base has circular push up; flat rectangular side walls with top arches and tan paper label with printed product information attached to front; round shoulders, short cylind…
Empty rounded square based semi-transparent blue glass Calomel bottle (a) with removable cylindrical grey metal screw cap (b); base has circular push up; flat rectangular side walls with top arches and tan paper label with printed product information attached to front; round shoulders, short cylindrical neck, and cylindrical finish with continuous external thread; mold lines from base to top; cap has flat top and internal continuous thread with threads embossed in sides.
Number Of Parts
2
Part Names
a – bottle – Length 13.8 cm Width 5.0 cm Depth 5.0 cm
b – cap – Length 1.8 cm Diameter 3.5 cm
Provenance
Received from anonymous donor via Kingston General Hospital Public Affairs.
Ingram & Bell Limited began in 1905; absence of Winnipeg branch on label, first established in 1927.
Material
glass: blue
paper: tan
ink: black, blue
metal: grey
Inscriptions
Printed on label: “Compressed Tablets // CALOMEL // 1/4 Grain // MANUFACTURED IN THE LABORATORY OF // INGRAM & BELL // TORONTO & CALGARY”
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-A5-6 Box 3 Row E
Unit Of Measure
centimeters
Condition Remarks
Major area of loss to top half of label; large tears and separation to proper left side of label; previous attempts at repair with adhesive tape have caused distortion and creases to proper left side of label
Copy Type
original
Reference Types
Website
Document
Document (online)
Reference Comments
“Calomel.” Encycolpaedia Britannica, Encycolpaedia Britannica Inc., 2019. Accessed 10 August 10, 2019.
Ingram & Bell Limited. Pharmaceutical Catalogue, 1964.
MDS Inc. “Mds Inc. Annual Information Form for the Year Ended October 31, 2002.” MDS Inc., 2003.
“Cardinal Health Canada Inc.” Canadian Business Resource, Canadian Newspaper Services International Limited, 2019. Accessed 7 August 2019.
Research Facts
Calomel, also called mercury chloride, was once a common drug taken as a cathartic or purgative to purge the bowls; also used as a fungicide; its use declined due to its potential to cause mercury poising and the development of safer cathartic drugs.
Ingram & Bell Limited was a medical supply company first established in Toronto in 1905; the company became a Canadian leader in the distribution of medical products; their wide selection included equipment, surgical tools, and pharmaceuticals; as the company grew, they established branches in Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Vancouver; became Ingram & Bell Inc. and 49% owned by MDS in 1986; MDS acquired 100% in 1993; became Source Medical Corporation after merger with Allegiance Healthcare Canada Inc. in 1997; acquired by Cardinal Health Canada Inc. in 2005.