Pictured below is the chest used on the 1933 assault on Mt. Everest, made from rolled and cast aluminum. It's a beautiful piece of industrial design that could probably survive a fall from the summit unscathed.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Vintage Expedition Medicine Chests
Phil Obermarck was kind enough to send over a link to an article in Slate on expedition medical chests. The Burroughs Wellcome company manufactured them for a number of expeditions, providing explorers with state of the art supplies while reaping a bonanza of positive advertising. The article links to the Wellcome archives, where you can find some glorious history porn on the subject.
Pictured below is the chest used on the 1933 assault on Mt. Everest, made from rolled and cast aluminum. It's a beautiful piece of industrial design that could probably survive a fall from the summit unscathed.
Pictured below is the chest used on the 1933 assault on Mt. Everest, made from rolled and cast aluminum. It's a beautiful piece of industrial design that could probably survive a fall from the summit unscathed.
For those of you who want to put together a period medical kit for Call of Cthulhu or just have reference photos for RPGers or make a prop kit, see below links.
ReplyDeleteMore images of the Tabloid first aid kits: http://openi.nlm.nih.gov/detailedresult.php?img=2175055_medhis5201-107-01&req=4
Antarctic Expedition chest for 1910 http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/images/i049/10317847.aspx
An image of some of the medical bottles in the Burroughs Wellcome Tabloid first aid kits http://himetop.wikidot.com/burroughs-wellcome-co-s-tabloid
Livingston’s medical chest – no explorer should be without one: http://www.wellcomecollection.org/whats-on/exhibitions/first-time-out/livingstones-medicine-chest.aspx
A selection of medical supplies sold by Burroughs Wellcome company http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/images/i049/10317850.aspx
Some individual bottles http://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/result.html?_IXMAXHITS_=1&_IXACTION_=query&_IXFIRST_=11&_IXemailreal=true&_IXbox=51071&_IXSPFX_=templates%2Ft&_IXFPFX_=templates%2Ft
An overview of Antarctic medicine http://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-us/publications/australian-antarctic-magazine/2011-2015/issue-22-2012/antarctic-medicine/in-the-footsteps-of-mclean,-jones-and-whetter-100-years-of-australian-antarctic-medical-practice
For those who are “all out” some wonderful stimulants to keep you marching http://www.viceland.com/blogs/en/files/2009/10/forced-march1.jpg
Also some background http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/About-us/History/WTX051935.htm
Some great bottles and boxes of period medication and photographic supplies that every expedition needs http://www.photomemorabilia.co.uk/Johnsons_of_Hendon/JoH_YearBook.html