Health Sciences · Hospital for Sick Children
A reflective metal instrument, generally cylindrical in form, with a large circular valve-control knob at the top. A large metal label on the upper front of the instrument reads, in part, “USE ONLY// ETHRANE// (ENFLURANE).” Unlike similar vaporizers in this collection, there are no ports at the upper rear of the instrument.
On the lower front-left of the instrument is a feature with a small window for monitoring the quantity of liquid anesthetic remaining. On the lower front-right is a filling assembly.
Note: Only representative examples of the Cyprane Vaporizers in the Hospital for Sick Children collection have been catalogued. For a full list, including serial numbers and other details, see this inventory document.
Accession Number: 2025.sk.11
Alternative Name: Enflurane Vapourizer
Brass (coated with copper and nickel, and chromium-plated)
A maker’s tag screwed to the top surface includes the following information: Serial No: “1106050”; “BRITISH PATENT No 1224478”
An white adhesive inventory label from the Hospital for Sick Children, fixed to the front of the unit, includes a barcode and the inventory number “075788.”
A white distributor’s label from Ohio Medical// Medishield, Toronto, includes space for a service date, but this was either not recorded or has faded.
Dimensions (cm): Height = 21, Width = 13, Length = 20.
A vaporizer is a device for administering calibrated doses of anesthetic vapor by controlling the flow of a carrier gas (primarily oxygen). This device is used to administer the general anesthetic Enflurane (identified on this instrument by the brand name Ethrane). Enflurane is an inhalation anesthetic introduced in the 1960s.
The device is first charged with liquid anesthetic. The gas flow is divided into two streams using a valve set by the operator. One stream enters the vaporizing chamber where it contacts vapor from the liquid anesthetic. The other is a bypass stream.
This vaporizer has an additional mechanism that accounts for temperature using a bimetallic strip to adjust the flow through the bypass chamber.
The instrument is in generally good cosmetic condition but needs cleaning. The clear surface coating over much of the instrument appears to be deteriorated.
Associated Instruments:
Manufacturer: Cyprane Ltd. Keighley, England.
Date of Manufacture: Mid 20th c.
Provenance:
William Edmondson and Wilfred Jones (Cyprane Ltd.). Improvements in volatile anaesthetic vaporising apparatus. GB Patent GB814427A. Issued June 3, 1959.
William Edmondson and Wilfred Jones (Cyprane Ltd.). Volatile anaesthetic vaporizing apparatus. US Patent US2915061A. Issued Dec 1, 1959.
William Edmondson and Wilfred Jones (Cyprane Ltd.). Volatile anaesthetic vaporizing apparatus. US Patent US3192924A. Issued July 6, 1965.
Historical Notes: