Health Sciences · Hospital for Sick Children
A face mask, made principally of heavy gauge wire, meant to cover a patient’s mouth and nose. The cage of the mask consists of four wire elements arranged in perpendicular pairs. The mask terminates in a handle in the form of a curving loop. Attached to a metal stud at the base of that loop is a length of thin wire.
This example is without a fabric covering.
Accession Number: 2025.sk.41
Alternative Name:
Primary Materials: Metal
Markings:
Dimensions (cm): Height = 5.5, Width = 7.5, Length = 17.
The Esmarch mask was introduced in 1877 as a means to administer inhalation anesthetic. A fabric covering was stretched over the wire framework. The mask was placed over a patient’s mouth and nose, and a small amount of volatile anesthetic, either ether or chloroform, was dropped or poured onto the mask’s fabric covering.
The mask is intact and in good condition. The metal finish is chipped or corroded at various points, especially along its contact surface.
Associated Instruments:
Manufacturer:
Date of Manufacture: Late 19th to Mid 20th c.
Provenance:
Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology (WLM) in Schaumburg, IL, USA, has catalogued an example of the Esmarch mask. The entry contains useful historical context. (Webpage archived 15 August 2025)
The Esmarch mask was developed by German surgeon Friedrich von Esmarch (1823-1908) in 1877. It was produced into the mid 20th century (see Wood Library-Museum cited above).