Kingston General Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Collection
Category
Patient Care
Hygiene
Sanitation
Surgery, Instrumentation
Wound dressing
Equipment and Supplies
Surgery
Classification
Patient Care
Hygiene
Sanitation
Surgery, instrumentation
Wound dressing
Equipment and Supplies
Surgery
Accession Number
995002044
Description
White enamelled kidney-shaped metal basin with black trim along the outer edge; the outer edges have two small paint smears; inner edges have two small chips.
White enamelled kidney-shaped metal basin with black trim along the outer edge; the outer edges have two small paint smears; inner edges have two small chips.
Number Of Parts
1
Provenance
Margaret Kirkpatrick Kingston General Hospital School of Nursing Class of 1935.
Dates
1920
1930
circa 1920-1930
Material
metal: dark grey
enamel: white; black
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-D3-6
Length
24.0 cm
Width
10.6 cm
Unit Of Measure
centimeters
Dimension Notes
Length: 24.0 cm. x Width: 10.6 cm.
Condition Remarks
Outer edge of basin has two small beige paint smears; inner edge of basin has two small chips; no rusting
Copy Type
Original
Research Facts
A kidney dish (British English) or emesis basin (American English) is a shallow basin with a kidney-shaped base and sloping walls used in medical and surgical wards to receive soiled dressings and other medical waste. Reusable kidney dishes are usually made of stainless steel, while disposable ones may be made of paper pulp or plastic. The concave inner rim shape of the dish helps allows it to be held against the patient's body to catch any falling fluids or debris. Various sizes of emesis basin are a common sight in healthcare settings.
Contrary to its name, emesis basins (or "vomit dish") are not usually used for vomiting, as the depth, size, and sloping walls all contribute to spilling or splashing the vomit rather than catching it.
Emesis basins are suited for more controlled situations. When washing out a small wound, for example, sometimes the wash water is applied from above with an emesis basin held underneath to catch the runoff.