University Health Network - Academy of Medicine Collection
Category
Pharmacy
Pharmacy, General
Home Health
Classification
Respirology
Pharmacy
Pharmacy, General
Home Health
Accession Number
1980.18.83 a-h
Description
Kerosene-fueled lamp for decorative brass vaporizer stand consists of round clear glass base with brass connection for raising lowering cotton braided wick and supports for narrow short clear glass tubular chimney lamp; new wick inserted in lamp; embossed text around top of glass base spells out pr…
Kerosene-fueled lamp for decorative brass vaporizer stand consists of round clear glass base with brass connection for raising lowering cotton braided wick and supports for narrow short clear glass tubular chimney lamp; new wick inserted in lamp; embossed text around top of glass base spells out product name; cup style two piece metal receptacle fits in open holder on stand; never used.
Number Of Parts
8
Part Names
a - glass base
b - brass connector
c - brass lamp support
d - glass chimney
e - wick
f - brass stand
g - h - metal receptacle
Provenance
Acquired from the Academy of Medicine; source: Mr. Dean Charters.
Coal tar is one of the byproducts of industrial processes that convert coal into coke or gas. Coal tar and its derivatives have been used in ointments, shampoos, analgesic drugs, and disinfectants.
One of its forms, cresol, was marketed as "Vapo-Cresolene" beginning in 1879. The Vapo-Cresolene vaporizer was sometimes called a lamp because it is similar in appearance to a kerosene lamp, and used the same fuel to heat the liquid cresol with an open flame. The company claimed that inhaling the resulting fumes would cure numerous respiratory diseases, including pneumonia, whooping cough and diphtheria.
These claims were debunked by a report of the American Medical Association in 1908. Despite this, the product and its vaporizers continued to be sold as late as the 1950s.
Exhibit History
On exhibit, Billings Estate, 15 Jan 2009 - 31 Dec. 2009