Health Sciences · Hospital for Sick Children
An electrical instrument with a polished metallic finish. The instrument consists of a series of interconnected elements set on a rectangular base. These prominently included an electric motor in a cylindrical housing driving a large pulley with a leather belt. The pulley is connected to a rotary pump that is connected to an oil reservoir, an ether reservoir, and a suction system.
At the top of the electrical motor is a cradle for a receptacle (likely a suction jar) that is now missing. A cylindrical cup, welded or soldered to the base of the instrument, located near the pump, is labelled “chloroform” with embossed label tape. It contains a glass and metal receptacle with an attachment at the top for tubing.
An electrical cord, which attaches to the base of the instrument, is badly deteriorated. Tubing and attachments are missing. These might have included such things as an ether mouth hook and suction wand.
Accession Number: 2025.sk.79
Alternative Name: The Connell Anesthesia Apparatus Type D
Primary Materials: Metal, Glass.
On Motor: “S. K. 12// NO 199003[8 or B]// W SERIES// VOLTS 110// AMP .9// UNIVERSAL”
Maker’s Label Includes the following information: “Type D”, “No. 1138”, “BEARD MACH.”
Stamped below maker’s label “1138”
Height = 28, Width = 35n, Length = 19.5.
The Connell Anesthesia Apparatus Type D is a portable electrical machine adapted for nose and throat surgery. The machine has two primary functions: pumping ether to administer anaesthesia and removing fluids during surgery.
The ether pumping function delivers ether vapour to the patient via a mouth hook or other means.
The suction function draws fluids from a metal suction end into a vessel that is missing from this example.
The core elements of this machine are present and intact, though various peripheral elements are missing. Various elements have spots of minor corrosion, though the overall finish is in good condition. The covering on the electrical cord has deteriorated badly. The padding that forms the base of the holder for the suction reservoir has hardened and cracked. Tubing is missing, as are appendages such as a suction wand and a means for delivering ether to the patient such as a mouth hook. A simple pinch valve was catalogued along with this artifact, though it is unclear whether it belonged to this artifact.
Associated Instruments:
Beard Machine Company. Astoria, New York, NY.
Date of Manufacture: Pre 1940.
Provenance:
Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology (WLM) in Schaumburg, IL, USA, Has a catalogue entry documenting the Connell Model A. The device is quite dissimilar but the entry contains useful historical context. (Webpage archived 23 March 2026)
Karl Connell, M.D. (1878-1941) was a New York surgeon who developed a variety of important devices within the field of anaesthesia (see Wood Library “Connell Model A“). In 1940, the Connell Apparatus Company was sold to the Ohio Chemical Company.