Anesthesia


Chloroform mask (3a)

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Mask from SCHIMMELBUSCH, about 1900

 

 

Despite its liver toxicity, chloroform has long been a popular anesthetic. Sometimes, however, it had to go "without": "This morning the injured foot was amputated over the left knee over the knee." Because of his excessive state of weakness, the regretful could not be chloroformated, his condition is very questionable "(Luxemburger Wort, 16.5.1911).



The man died after a few hours: "Esch a.d. Alz., May 17. The worker killed in the Clair-Chêne Fußhöller died this morning" (Luxemburger Wort, 17.5.1911).



Presented is a simple construction from 1900 (by SCHIMMELBUSCH first mentioned in 1890), with bracket, frame and handle made of chrome (the frame could be sterilized and thus corresponded to the requirements of aseptic) were obtained with any cover of the required size.



Manufacturer: Aesculap AG, Tuttlingen, Germany. Dimensions: approx. 17.5 x 11 x 5.5 cm. The Schimmelbusch mask consists of an oval metal frame with handle, a revolving, hinged clamping handle with handle and a cross-shaped metal mesh that can be folded out half-round. The Aesculap logo is hallmarked on the front of the frame and the number 3 on the frame handle. The Schimmelbusch mask was considered a standard device for narcotization until the beginning of the 20th century. With the help of the wire frame, gauze compresses or tulle were stretched over the nose and mouth and drizzled with vapor inhalation anesthetics (usually with the help of a Y-dropper). For the first time, excess liquid could be drained and collected via the side channel of the Schimmelbusch mask: the Schimmelbusch mask, a further development of the ESMARCH mask, was the first to be equipped with a gutter to absorb the excess active substances.


Curt Schimmelbusch (1860-95), Surgeon, Berlin. He became world famous for his contributions to the development and scientific justification of mechanical sterilization methods developed in Berlin under Ernst von Bergmann. He was never seen as a pioneer of anesthesia. His surgical career began in 1888 in Cologne under the famous surgeon BARDENHEUER. In 1890, he describes his mask for ethereal and chloroform anesthesia under primarily aseptic aspects. "Curt Schimmelbusch was born on November 16th, 1860, as the son of a lord of a manor in Gross-Nogath / West Prussia." Having graduated from high school in 1882, he studied medicine at Wurzburg, Gottingen, Berlin and Halle He was trained as a co-worker at the University of Halle in 1886 as a co-worker of the histologist and pathologist at the Burgerhospital.And the main aspects of hygiene are described in a mask in 1890, which is predominantly used for ether anesthesia, although it is considered to be suitable thus for chloroform anesthesia, in itself an exciting contribution he has made characterizing the progress of anesthesia in German-speaking countries up to the mid-50's of the 20th century ".

 


Source:
Reinhard M, Eberhardt E., Curt Schimmelbusch, development of a mask for chloroform and ether anesthesia based on primary aseptic principles, in: Anasthesiol. Intensivmed. Notfallmed. Schmerzther. 1994 Feb;29(1):30-5.