a. Dark purple coloured cardboard case containing snake bite kit. Faded lettering on the lid appears to read "P. FATTIN"(?) / PICTON LAKES".
b. Metal case built into sections inside and lined with purple velvet to hold the accessories. The lid is hinged and the front longer side is marked "PRESS HERE", while the ends read "JAHNCKE'S PATENT". Lettered in gold on velvet inside the lid, "SNAKE-BIGHT ANTIDOTE CASE / L. BRUCK, SYDNEY". Beneath this is a stretch of black elastic supporting small lengths of spare wires to keep the syringe needle clear. One round section contains a wad of cotton wool and there is a rectangle of yellow chamois between the contents and the lid.
c. Small glass-barrel syringe marked "5 / 10 / 15 / M / 20" on the glass and "0 / 5 / 10 / 15 / 20" on the plunger. There is a metal cap over the end where the needle screws in.
d. Described in the instructions as a "PATENT POISON SUCKER", consists of a glass barrel with a piston which has a washer at one end. Can be used to suck poisoned blood from the excised bite area if a person did not wish to do so by mouth.
e. "T" shaped metal piece of uncertain purpose, ridged on top and with a short thread at the base of its upright. Possibly used in crushing the strychnine tablets(?).
f. Metal needle for the syringe, threaded with fine wire to keep the channel clear.
g. Glass phial, corked at one end and containing strychnine tablets. Paper label reads "(POISON.) / SNOW HILL BUILDINGS, LONDON, E. C. / BURROUGHS, WELLCOME & CO. / HYPODERMIC TABLOIDS. / STRYCHNINE SULPH. 1/10 GR." Label is overmarked "61".
h. Glass phial, corked at one end and containing strychnine tablets. Paper label reads "(POISON.) / SNOW HILL BUILDINGS, LONDON, R. O. / BURROUGHS, WELCOME & CO. / HYPODERMIC TABLOIDS. / STRYCHNINE SULPH. 1/15 GR." Label is overmarked "62". Accompanying directions are entitled "THE STRYCHNINE TREATMENT OF SNAKE-BITE, as discovered by Dr. Aug. Mueller, of Yackandandah (Victoria), and made public through the columns of the "Australasian Medical Gazette" in Sydney." Users of the kit were advised to apply a ligature above the bite, excise the area around the bite and remove the flesh with a sharp instrument, then suck out the wound by mouth or the "PATENT POISON SUCKER" provided. One or two tablets of strychnine sulph were then to be dissolved in ten drops of water before being drawn up into the syringe and injected into the bite area at a depth of half an inch. The injection was then to be repeated every 10 to 20 minutes until the patient had recovered sufficiently to walk unaided, and was displaying effects of the strychnine - slight muscular spasms and twitching. Users were requested to advise Dr. J. M. Creed, editor of the AUSTRALASIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE of the results, "whether successful of otherwise". L. Bruck is listed as an Importer of Surgical Instruments, Batteries, Microscopes, Artificial Eyes etc
Department:
History DepartmentCollection
History Collection
Collection Item Data
| Accession Number: | H1990.341.a-h |
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| Accession Date: | 29 Aug 1990 |
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Material
| Paper | Metal, glass, fabric, paper
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Measurement
The WA Museum is in the process of digitising its collections. This record may not have been reviewed by curatorial staff and may be inaccurate or incomplete. Research departments are continually working on these collections by adding new objects and reviewing existing content when new information is made available.
