Lane's infusion apparatus by Down Bros, in case, London, after 1891

Invented by surgeon William Arbuthnot Lane (1856-1943) in 1891, this apparatus was intended to be used for blood transfusions. This procedure is carried out on patients who have lost a large amount of blood because of injuries or during surgery. However, it remained a highly risky ‘last resort’ treatment until the discovery of blood groups in 1901 began to make the process safer.