Iron, plaster

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Ingenium, 2002.0511.001
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OBJECT TYPE: back or shoulder
DATE: 1800–1899
ARTIFACT NUMBER: 2002.0511.001

MANUFACTURER: Unknown
MODEL: Unknown
LOCATION: Canada

More Information

General Information

Serial #: N/A
Part Number: 1
Total Parts: 1
AKA: N/A
Patents: N/A
General Description: wood & metal elements.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length: 28.0 cm
Width: 2.1 cm
Height: 3.3 cm
Thickness: N/A
Weight: N/A
Diameter: N/A
Volume: N/A

Lexicon

Group: Medical Technology
Category: Pharmacology
Sub-Category: N/A

Manufacturer

AKA: Unknown
Country: Canada
State/Province: Unknown
City: Unknown

Context

Country: Canada
State/Province: Unknown
Period: Probably used mid/late 19th c- mid 20th c.
Canada: Part of a large collection of medical artifacts, archival material & trade literature transferred to CSTM in 2002 from the former History of Medicine Museum, Toronto ON.
Function: Used to gently warm medicinal preparation and carrying medium during manufacture of plasters (plaisters).
Technical: Plaster iron routinely used by pharmacist until c. 1950. when spreading commercially manufactured plaster mass (medical cream, ointment or paste) onto a suitable carrying material. These preparations were used to soothe topical irritations, numb pain or deliver medication. Modern equivillants are patches worn during hormone replacement therapy, nicotine patches worn as part of an smoking cessation programme, etc. Semi-solid medicinal preparations had to be warmed to allow even spreading over the leather or white sheepskin patch backing. Overheating could damage or destroy the effectiveness of the medicine, so warm steam-heat and/or a plaster iron were frequently employed. Standard sizes and shapes were recommended (but could be altered) and a paper stencil cut. The stencil was loosely fixed to the backing material, and the plaster cut-out: the warmed medication was poured into the centre, and spread evenly. The stencil was removed, and the prepared plasters trimmed and packed in a flat box separated by oiled or grease-proof paper. Users were instructed to warm the plaster slightly to improve adhesion. (Ref. 4)
Area Notes: Unknown

Details

Markings: None, save "X934.22.2" printed by hand in white ink on underside of iron head.
Missing: None.
Finish: Turned wood [maple ?] handle; cast iron iron head.
Decoration: N/A

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Unknown Manufacturer, Iron, plaster, circa 1800–1899, Artifact no. 2002.0511, Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, http://collection.ingeniumcanada.org/en/id/2002.0511.001/

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