Medical equipment

The War Heritage Institute's collection also contains a small collection of medical equipment, including surgical items. One of the dangers associated with these collection items is accidental stabbing or cutting with these collection items. These types of accidents can be avoided by wearing cut-resistant gloves and by storing and labeling the pieces correctly.

Another risk with this collection is the exposure to chemicals used in the medical profession. The risk is especially high in the nineteenth-century collection, where medication was kept in glass bottles. These often contained medications that are considered addictive today, such as morphine and cocaine, as well as chemicals that are carcinogenic.

1. Chromic acid | Chromic acid (H₂CrO₄) is an inorganic acid used today in chromium plating, coloured glass, and ceramic glazes.
2. Sulfanilamide | Sulfanilamide (C₆H₈N₂O₂S) is part of the sulfonamide group and has a white to yellowish-white colour.
3. Mercury chloride | Mercury chloride (HgCl₂) is an inorganic colorless to white salt.

Within the War Heritage Institute's collection, we find chromic acid in nineteenth century medical kits. Exposure to the acid can result in skin burns and allergies, irritation of the nose and throat, eye damage, and is possibly carcinogenic.

Sulfanilamide is used to treat infections since the discovery of its antimicrobial properties in 1931. By 1941 the drug was used by the allies in the Second World War.

Inside the museum collection sulfanilamide is found in the Carlisle Bandage packet. Although the drug remains on the market to a lesser extent today, it is mainly the derivatives of sulfanilamide that are used in present-day medicine. Sulfanilamide can cause skin irritation and can cause preterm birth, low birth weight, and congenital malformations. 

Mercury chloride (HgCl₂) has a big variety of uses trough history but is most known for its use as a medication in the treatment of syphilis. Mercury choride has also been used as a disinfectant and in dentistry to alleviate ulcerative symptoms under the name “Corrosive sublimate”. Outside medicine mercury chloride has been used in photography during the 1800’s and in historical preservation in order to prevent the destruction of biological specimens by moths, mites and molds.

Mercury chloride is both an acutely as a cumulative poison. It can cause internal damage such as ulcers and corrosive damage but also kidney failure. Other effects of mercury chloride poison are stomach pain, abdominal discomfort, lethargy, vomiting of blood, corrosive bronchitis, severe irritation to the gastrointestinal tract, insomnia, delayed reflexes, excessive salivation, bleeding gums, fatigue, tremors, and dental problems.