Potain's aspirator kit, which contains several pieces housed in a metal case; the aspirator barrel (a) is a hollow cylindrical metal tube with two tapered cylindrical tips (with directional arrows) on one end and an open end at the other end; the outside edges of this end are threaded to allow the …
Potain's aspirator kit, which contains several pieces housed in a metal case; the aspirator barrel (a) is a hollow cylindrical metal tube with two tapered cylindrical tips (with directional arrows) on one end and an open end at the other end; the outside edges of this end are threaded to allow the attachment of the cap on (b) the piston; the piston consists of a solid cylindrical metal bar with a perpendicular thicker bar at one end (forming a handle) and a solid round metal plug at the other end; the plug fits snugly into the barrel and a threaded round cap (which slides up and down the metal bar) fits over and onto the open end of the barrel; another piece of the kit is (c) a stopcock; the stopcock has a cylindrical red rubber stopper with a hole through the centre; a metal tube runs through this hole; the metal tube has a bulbous open bottom and another tube at the top, forming a T-shape; both ends of the top tube are open; one is tapered; there are two rounded spigots which can open and close the top tube at certain areas; the kit also contains a trocar set (d,e) which consists of (d) a cannula that is a length of hollow cylindrical metal tubing with an open tip and a larger round open base; the trocar mandrel (e) fits into the cannula; the mandrel is made of solid cylindrical metal with a bayonet-pointed tip and a solid rounded handle at the other end; the kit also contains a trocar needle and obturator (f,g); the needle (f) is made of hollow cylindrical metal tubing with a sharp bevelled tip on one end and a larger round open base at the other end that tapers to the tube; the obturator (g) fits into the needle and is made of a piece of solid cylindrical metal wire cut straight at the tip on one end and bend into a small flat circular gripping handle at the other end; the kit has another trocar needle (h); this needle also is made of hollow cylindrical metal tubing with a sharp bevelled tip on one end and a larger round open base at the other end, which tapers to the tube; the kit has a trocar set (i-k), which consists of (i) a cannula that has a length of hollow cylindrical metal tubing that is round and open at the tip and has a larger round open base that tapers to the tube; this base piece is threaded on the inside and allows the attachment of (j) a stopcock piece; the stopcock has a central piece of hollow cylindrical metal tubing with open threaded ends on both ends; there is a round central section with an oval handle on top that can be turned to either open or close the tube; the front end of the tube (where it attaches to the cannula) has a small cylindrical hollow attachment; the other end of the tube attaches to (k) a bayonet-pointed obturator; this consists of a length of solid cylindrical metal with a pointed tip on one end and a solid rounded thumb push piece on the other end; a round threaded cap with threading on the inside slides up and down the length of the metal bar; there is another obturator (l) that also fits onto this trocar; this is the same design, except that the tip is solid and rounded; the kit has a wire holder (m) which is a length of hollow cylindrical metal tubing; the wire holder has six wires stored in it (not catalogued); the wires are lengths of thin solid cylindrical wire, approximately 15.4 cm long; the kit contains two lengths of rubber tubing (n,o) with metal attachments on the ends; the rubber tubing is cylindrical with round open ends, each of which has a metal attachment -- one that is open and round and the other that is tapered to a small round opening; the rubber tubing is longer in (o); all pieces of the kit are stored in (p) a metal rectangular case; this case has a lid that is hinged onto the base and a metal catch on the front; there is a metal insert in the bottom inside of the case which has slots to hold the individual pieces
Number Of Parts
16
Part Names
a - aspirator barrel: Size: Length 13.2 cm x Width 3.2 cm x Depth 2.9 cm
b - aspirator piston: Size: Length 15.1 cm x Width 5.0 cm x Depth 2.6 cm
c - aspirator stopcock: Size: Length 7.6 cm x Width 6.3 cm x Depth 2.3 cm
d -trocar cannula: Size: Length 8.7 cm x Diam. 0.7 cm
e - trocar mandrel: Size: Length 10.8 cm x Diam. 0.7 cm
f - trocar needle: Size: Length 10.2 cm x Diam. 0.7 cm
g - trocaar needle obturator: Size: Length 11.2 cm x Width 0.8 cm x Depth 0.1 cm
h - trocar needle: Size: Length 10.3 cm x Diam. 0.7 cm
i - trocar cannula: Size: Length 9.5 cm x Diam. 0.8 cm
j - trocar stopcock: Size: Length 3.7 cm x Width 2.5 cm x Depth 1.0 cm
k - trocar obturator: Size: Length 14.6 cm x Diam. 1.0 cm
l - trocar obturator: Size: Length 14.3 cm x Diam. 1.0 cm
m - wire holder: Size: Length 10.1 cm x Diam. 0.6 cm
n - tubing: Size: Length 28.7 cm x Diam. 0.9 cm
o - tubing: Size: Length 51.9 cm x Diam. 0.9 cm
p - metal case (closed): Size: Length 22.7 cm x Width 9.2 cm x Depth 3.3 cm
Provenance
Collected by Dr. A.A. Travill for the Queen's University Faculty of Medicine Collection
(a) The side of the barrel just above the tips have directional arrows stamped into the metal; the outside of the barrel has the letters "B-D" stamped into the metal near the top; (p) the metal insert in the bottom of the case is stamped with the words "PATD ["D" underlined and superscripted] OCT. 22 1901"
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-D5-11
Condition Remarks
All metal pieces show wear; a few spots where the plating has worn are visible; no corrosion is visible; the rubber tubing is dry and brittle, but complete; the longer tube (o) is still soft and flexible in the centre; the metal parts arrived dirty and greasy; #2: rubber is brittle; #3: the rubber is hard and cracking.
Copy Type
Original
Reference Types
Book
Document
JPG
Reference Comments
Previous number #61; "Surgical Instruments" by The Kny-Scheerer Company, 1915, p. 2325 (B/-9210) (see attached photocopy); "Illustrated Catalog of a Complete Line of Standard Surgical Instruments" by Codman & Shurtleff Incorporated, c. 1920, p. 122 (4757) (see attached photocopy); Faculty of Medicine Collection 1984 Inventory; CD #3