Midwifery bag and contents

Made:
1925-1955 in London
maker:
Arnold and Sons
Midwifery bag, pigskin, with nickel plated brass fittings

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Midwifery bag, pigskin, with nickel plated brass fittings
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Midwifery bag, pigskin, with nickel plated brass fittings, complete with contents, bag by Arnold and Sons, London, 1925-1955

Until the middle of the 20th century in the UK, the majority of births still took place at home. They were usually attended by a midwife. This pigskin bag was made by Arnold and Sons in London. It contains many items a midwife required at the birth. Included are forceps, an obstetric hook, facemask, stitching needles, sterile suturing thread, syringe, an anaesthetic mask and bandages. There is also a copy of the ‘Rules of the Central Midwives Board’ (1905). This stresses midwives must keep themselves and their equipment scrupulously clean to avoid cross infection and puerperal fever. Puerperal fever often proved fatal. The inner lining of the bag is removable, presumably for washing.

Details

Category:
Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Contraception
Object Number:
1981-1693
Materials:
bag, leather, pigskin and fittings, brass (nickel plated)
Measurements:
overall: 190 mm x 470 mm x 260 mm,
type:
midwifery bag
credit:
Science Museum

Parts

Hypodermic syringe case with 8 glass phials of medicinal preparations

Hypodermic syringe case with 8 glass phials of medicinal preparations

Hypodermic syringe case (needles and syringe missing), with 8 glass phials of medicinal preparations. Case: 85 mm x 55 mm x 18 mm. The 5 larger glass phials ( 50 mm x 5 mm diameter) contain hypodermic tablets by Burroughs Wellcome and Co., of caffeine sodio-salicylate, strychnine, ergotinine and strychnine, apomorphine and pilocarpine nitrate. The three smaller glass phials (26 mm x 3 mm diameter)...

Curved suture needle with thread

Curved suture needle with thread

Curved suture needle with thread, sterlised, in sealed tube, English, 1930-1950

Materials:
tube, glass
Object Number:
1981-1693 Pt6
type:
suture needles
Tube of Penicillin Calcium Sulphathiazol

Tube of Penicillin Calcium Sulphathiazol

Tube of Penicillin Calcium Sulphathiazol, glass, by Philip Harris Ltd., Birmingham, 1945-1955

Materials:
tube, glass
Object Number:
1981-1693 Pt7
type:
tubes
Red rubber midwives' apron

Red rubber midwives' apron

Red rubber midwives' apron, English, 1940-1955

Materials:
rubber, red and linen
Object Number:
1981-1693 Pt8
type:
aprons
Roll of "Mersilene" polyester ligature

Roll of "Mersilene" polyester ligature

Roll of "Mersilene" polyester ligature, by Ethicon, Edinburgh, 1945-1960

Materials:
box, cardboard and roll, wood
Object Number:
1981-1693 Pt11
type:
sutures
Box of cotton wool

Box of cotton wool

Box of cotton wool, by Johnson and Johnson, England, 1950-1965

Materials:
box, cardboard
Object Number:
1981-1693 Pt13
type:
cotton wool
Boxed bottle of "Dettol" antiseptic cream

Boxed bottle of "Dettol" antiseptic cream

Boxed bottle of "Dettol" antiseptic cream, by Reckitt and Sons, Hull, 1960-1968

Materials:
box, cardboard and bottle, plastic
Object Number:
1981-1693 Pt14
type:
antiseptic cream
"Cestra" surgical mask

"Cestra" surgical mask

"Cestra" surgical mask, in packet, by Robinson and Sons, Chesterfield, 1945-1960

Materials:
packet, paper
Object Number:
1981-1693 Pt15
type:
surgical masks
Glass bottle containing 100 tablets of pethidine hydrochloride

Glass bottle containing 100 tablets of pethidine hydrochloride

Brown glass, circle-based bottle with metal screw cap and paper label. Containing 100 tablets of pethidine hydrochloride, an analgesic and anti-spasmodic.

Materials:
bottle, glass
Object Number:
1981-1693 Pt17
type:
bottle and pethidine
Bottle of Hibitane obstetric cream

Bottle of Hibitane obstetric cream

Bottle of Hibitane obstetric cream, by Imperial Chemical (Pharmaceuticals) Ltd., England, 1945-1960

Materials:
bottle, glass
Object Number:
1981-1693 Pt18
type:
bottles
Box of ergometrine ampoules

Box of ergometrine ampoules

Two oval shaped cardboard carton for ampoules of Ergometrine Maleate, one containing 6 x 1ml ampoules and one containing 12 x 1ml ampoules. Made by British Drug Houses Ltd., England, 1945-1960.

Measurements:
overall: 70 mm x 45 mm x 30 mm,
Materials:
incomplete , ergometrine , steel , paper , cardboard and glass
Object Number:
1981-1693 Pt19
type:
ampoules and ergometrine
Oval shaped cardboard carton for six 1ml. ampoules of Ergometrine Maleate

Oval shaped cardboard carton for six 1ml. ampoules of Ergometrine Maleate

Boxed bottle of Terramycin powder, by Pfizer Ltd., England, 1945-1965

Materials:
box, cardboard and bottle, glass
Object Number:
1981-1693 Pt20
type:
bottles
Scissors, chrome plated steel

Scissors, chrome plated steel

Scissors, chrome plated steel, England, 1935-1960

Materials:
steel (chrome plated)
Object Number:
1981-1693 Pt22
type:
scissors
Bottle of saline solution

Bottle of saline solution

Bottle of saline solution, for infusion, by Evans, England, 1945-1960

Materials:
bottle, glass
Object Number:
1981-1693 Pt23
type:
bottles
Suture, by Ethicon

Suture, by Ethicon

Suture, by Ethicon, Edinburgh, in glass tube, 1945-1960

Materials:
tube, glass
Object Number:
1981-1693 Pt24
type:
sutures
Two packets of bandages

Two packets of bandages

Two packets of bandages, by Johnson and Johnson, England, 1950-1965

Materials:
packet, paper
Object Number:
1981-1693 Pt25
type:
bandages