University Health Network - Academy of Medicine Collection
Category
Hygiene
Surgery, Instrumentation
Medical Supplies, disposable
Surgery
Classification
Hygiene
Surgery, instrumentation
Medical Supplies, disposable
Surgery
Accession Number
1989.13.1 a-e
Description
Pair of yellowed latex pre-powdered non-sterile disposable surgeon's gloves (c, d) wrapped in wax paper (b) and tucked inside a paper envelope (a); each latex glove is folded into itself in half, with a "7" stamped on one side in black ink; the paper is folded in half and each side is folded in abo…
Pair of yellowed latex pre-powdered non-sterile disposable surgeon's gloves (c, d) wrapped in wax paper (b) and tucked inside a paper envelope (a); each latex glove is folded into itself in half, with a "7" stamped on one side in black ink; the paper is folded in half and each side is folded in about 4 and a half centimeters in order to keep the gloves separated inside; when unfolded part way, the paper that covers each glove has a dashed line illustration of a right or left glove; the outside of the wax paper has the company logo and name on both sides printed in black at the top, with a large "7" in the middle, and a warning below; the outer paper package / envelope (a) has blue print on one side with opening instructions printed near the top, the company logo and name below that, followed by the product name and some details about the product, with the manufacturing information printed near the bottom; stamped in black in the spaces are updates on the sterile status of the gloves, as well as some extra information about this particular pair; there is an information sheet printed in colour with photographs of the product and its use (e).
Number Of Parts
5
Part Names
a - outer package: Length 32.0 cm X Width 15.2 cm
b - package (opened flat): Length 51.0 cm X Width 32.0 cm
c-d - gloves (folded): Length 17.7 cm X Width 9.3 cm
e - information sheet: Length 27.9 cm X Width 21.6 cm
Provenance
Acquired from the Academy of Medicine; source: Sterling Rubber Inc. representative.
Printed on wax paper (b): "STERLING // 7 // WARNING: // SURFACE POWDER SHOULD BE // REMOVED PRIOR TO UNDERTAKING // OPERATIVE PROCEDURES IN ORDER // TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF ADVERSE // TISSUE REACTION"; printed on outer package (a): "PEEL BACK TO OPEN // DÉCOLLEZ POUR OUVRIR // S // STERLING // SURGEONS' GLOVES // DISPOSABLE // GANTS DE CHIRURGIE // STERILE // NON STERILE // PRE-POWDERED // PRÉ-POUDRÉS // Gloves in unopened // and undamaged // package are sterile // Les gants dans cette // enveloppe sont stériles à // condition que l'empaquetage // soit intact // 0425109 // SMOOTH WHITE // BLANC LISSE // B // 7 // EXTRA PROTECTION // Manufactured by / Fabriqué par // STERLING RUBBER (1985) INC. // 675 Woodside Street, Fergus, Ontario Canada N1M 2M4 (519) 843-4032 // Printed in U.S.A. Imprimé au U.S.A."; printed on information sheet front side (e): "SURGICAL // GLOVES // At Sterling, we view surgical // gloves as a fine surgical instru- // ment. They must be complemen- // tary of every move the surgeon // performs. Gloves must work with // the surgeon's fingers - promoting // sensory perception and motor // function. // When developing Sterling // surgical gloves, surgeons told us // that the ideal glove is strong; tear // resistant; yet it may be worn as a // second skin - virtually unnoticed. // We at Sterling believe that // we have achieved the surgical glove // that comes closer than any other // in meeting the surgeon's require- // ments of comfort; sensitivity; // strength and convenience of use. // S // STERLING"; printed on back of information sheet (e): Comfort & Sensitivity // Comfort and sensitivity are // derived from product design // and process formulation. // Sterling surgical gloves // feature a curved finger design // following the natural contours // Curved finger design for comfort // of the hand. The glove supports // each move of the surgeon's // fingers, returning to a natural, // comfortable rest position when // relaxed. // Sterling's unique, latex // formulation offers the surgeon // a glove of incredible softness. // Surgeons have long recognized // Hand inspection ensures quality // that as softness increases, so // does comfort. // Strength // Advanced production techno- // logy enables Sterling to pre- // cisely control the latex thickness // throughout the various areas of // the glove. Since fingertips are // the area of greatest sensitivity, // we maintain latex thinness // there and throughout the rest of // the glove. // A secondary benefit of // Sterling's product formulation // stems from the high purity of // the latex compound. This not // only increases glove strength but // minimizes opportunity for aller- // gic reactions. // To further cuff end strength // and eliminate roll down, Sterling // beads all surgical glove cuffs. // Product Preference // In consideration of surgeons' // expressed product preferences, // Sterling offers surgical gloves // with both smooth and textured // surfaces. // Smooth surgical gloves are // offered in white while textured // surface is offered in both brown // and white colors. All are pro- // duced through the same precise // process to the most exacting // standards. // Convenience // A special powdering process // using bio-absorbable glove // powder dusts each glove thor- // oughly on the inside ... while // leaving the outside virtually // powder free. Surgeons do not // Smooth or deeply textured finish // need to wash gloves after donning. // The donning procedure is // further aided through a gener- // ous size, memory-free, moisture // resistant paper inner wallet // which assists aseptic technique. // Wallets are clearly marked with // size and cuff end identification. // Outer packages are fully // labelled and easy to peel open // with no fibre tear. // Sterling surgical gloves are // packaged 50 pair per box for // easy transportation and storage. // S // STERLING // STERLING RUBBER (1985) INC. // 675 Woodside Street, // Fergus, Ontario, Canada // N1M 2M4 (519) 843-4032".
Permanent Location
(a,b,e): Storage Room 2005
2005-2-3 Box 15
(c,d): Storage Room 0010
0010-C4-5
Unit Of Measure
centimeters
Condition Remarks
Gloves severely yellowed, colour leaking onto the wax paper; should not unfold gloves in case of brittleness and the plastic separates
"Vernon's City of Guelph Directory," Henry Vernon & Son, Publishers, 1913, https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/757173-vernon-s-city-of-guelph-street-alphabetical-business-and-miscellaneous-directory-for-the-years-1914?viewer=1&offset=0#page=232&viewer=picture&o=search&n=0&q=sterling
Past Medical History, "THE HISTORY OF SURGICAL GLOVES", Sep 19, 2018: https://www.pastmedicalhistory.co.uk/the-history-of-surgical-gloves/
Research Facts
Sterling Rubber Company was establised in 1912 in Guelph, Ontario and (as of 2016) is Canada's only manufacturer of Latex surgeon's gloves. They also produce sterile procedure gloves, post mortem gloves, and laboratory gloves for sale in Canada and the United States.
In 1889-1890, at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Nurse Caroline Hampton and Dr. William Stewart Halsted were working with a combination of carbolic acid and mercuric chloride as a disinfectant for surgeries. This produced a dermatitis of Hampton's arms and hands, and so Dr. Halsted, whom she would later marry, had the Goodyear Rubber Company fashion a pair of thin rubber gloves to protect her hands. They worked so well that they soon became used by others in the hospital and outside of it.
In 1964, the first disposable latex medical gloves were created by the Ansell Rubber Company in Australia. Gloves were formerly powdered for ease of use, but powdered gloves were banned in 2016 because their use was linked to post-operative scars and inflammation.
Exhibit History
On loan for exhibit "Clean up your Act - S Sanitization Methods Over Time" Kingston Association of Museums, Art Galleries and Historic Sites Inc. on display at the Kingston Frontenac Public Library Central Branch 6 April – 8 July, 2022.