General Information

Serial #

539

Part Number

1

Total Parts

4

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

.1 WOODEN FRAME, COVERED WITH SYNTHETIC MATERIAL; METAL, GLASS & SYNTHETIC COMPONENT PARTS/.2-.3 RUBBER TUBING; METAL & SYNTHETIC CONNECTORS/.4 FABRIC ARMBAND; RUBBER TUBING & BULB; METAL CLIP & SOME FITTINGS/ CW GLASS, SYNTHETIC, METAL, RUBBER & PAPER PTS & ACCESSORIES/ CASE IS WOOD WITH IMITATION LEATHER

Dimensions

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

Length

33.6 cm

Width

15.0 cm

Height

45.7 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Medical Technology

Category

Medical equipment

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Cameron

Country

United States of America

State/Province

Illinois

City

Chicago

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

New Brunswick

Period

THIS UNIT PROBABLY USED FROM 1943+

Canada

Part of the Hopital de l'Assomption collection of medical instruments and equipment. This instrument belonged to hopital's surgeon Dr. Laporte, who may have used it there as well as in private practice. “This artifact is part of a collection used in l’Hôpital de l’Assomption in Grand Falls/Grand Sault, New Brunswick. The hospital was run by the Secular Institute of The Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate (OMMI), from 1952-1964. OMMI is a large organisation which ran residential schools across Canada and the Secular Institute is one arm of that larger organisation [1].The artifacts in this collection were curated by the Secular Institute (sometimes referred to as the “Oblates”), specifically Fabienne Rinfret, who was one of the original 10 nurses working at the hospital when it opened [2]. They were purchased by The Canada Science and Technology Museum in 1991, only months before OMMI made their first apology for their role in running residential schools [3]. The artifacts in this collection are common examples of medical objects, which were manufactured in many places inside and outside of Canada. What makes them unique is their context, they were used in this hospital by the “Oblate” nurses. The hospital was previously called l’Hôpital d’Emard and run by Mme. Emard, Mr. Emard (who was blind), and a few other staff [4]. The “Oblates” took over in 1952 and ran the hospital until May 31st 1964 upon the opening of Grand Falls General Hospital Incorporated, which was run by the Religieuses Hospitalières de St-Joseph. The Cataract Weekly (Grand Falls’ bilingual newspaper) reported that all 55 staff members were hired on at the new hospital and most of the equipment was transferred there as well [5]. After only a year and a half the Secular Institute had 200 members, most of whom had passed through the Mother House at l’Hospital de l’Assomption. Many members were nurses working at hospitals in New Brunswick and Québec. Others worked as teachers, housekeepers, and nurses at presbyteries [6]. From the Secular Institute’s history written in 2015, Malenfant states: “[t]he Institute did not limit itself to a particular type of works” and “[t]he intern members devoted themselves in varied works: hospitals, schools, classical colleges, dispensaries, secretariats, social services, homes for young girls, for convalescents or for the elderly, bookstores, […] etc.” [2]. There were no residential schools in New Brunswick, however, Shubenacadie Residential School ran in Nova Scotia from 1930 and 1967 [7]. From 1956-1967 it was managed by the Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate [8]. There was also a segregated hospital and day school, Tobique Indian Hospital (also known as St. Ann’s Teacherage and Hospital) in Tobique, NB, which was run by the Sisters of Charity from 1928-1981 [9] [10].” [Ref 3]

Function

TO PRODUCE GRAPHIC RECORD OF PULSE RATE & BLOOD PRESSURE, AS AID IN CARDIAC DIAGNOSIS

Technical

CONSIDERED TO BE EARLY ELECTROCARDIOGRAPH MACHINE. FINE CRAFTSMANSHIP & SKILLFULL MARKETING & ADVERTISING BY THE MFR'S PROMOTED THE VALUE OF PRECISE, GRAPHIC READINGS OF BLOOD PRESSURE & PULSE AS AIDS DIAGNOSING CARDIAC CONDITIONS & MONITORING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A COURSE OF TREATMENT.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

.1 'This/ HEARTOMETER/ Made For/ P.C. Laporte M.D./ CAMERON HEARTOMETER CO./ CHICAGO, U.S.A./ USE ONLY ON 110V.60 CYCLE' INCISED ON PLATE SCREWED INSIDE DOOR. 'U.S. PAT. 2121014/ U.S.+FOREIGN PATS. PEND./ SERIAL-539' INCISED IN LOWER LEFT FRONT INSIDE UNIT; '539' INCISED BELOW. 'CAMERON' INCISED ON METAL PLATE SCREWED TO DOOR FRONT. PLATE SCREWED TO LEFT SIDE READS: 'PULL CLUTCH KNOB OUT/ FOR BLOOD PRESSURE RECORDING./ PUSH CLUTCH KNOB IN/ TOSTART MOTOR FOR GRAPHING./ CLUTCH KNOB MUST BE OUT/ WHEN CHANGING PRESSURES./ TO CUT OFF THE CURRENT/ KEEP CLUTCH KNOB INTERMEDIATE/ BETWEEN IN AND OUT POSITION'/ ALL CONTROLS LABELLED/ CONT IN S.I.

Missing

1 GLASS INK RESERVOIR

Finish

.1 CASE HAS MOTTLED BURGUNDY SYNTHETIC COVER; SIDES, BACK & BASE ARE BLACK BAKELITE-LIKE SYNTHETIC, ALL HIGHLY POLISHED; BRASS-COLOURED & SILVER METAL ACCENTS & HARDWARE/ .4 DARK BLUE-GREY FABRIC ARMBAND

Decoration

ART-DECO STYLE EVIDENT IN OVERALL DESIGN, STYLE & FINISHING OF HANDLE & FITTINGS