General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

WOOD; METAL HINGES

Dimensions

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

Length

34.0 cm

Width

20.5 cm

Height

23.5 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

Unknown

Country

Canada

State/Province

New Brunswick

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

New Brunswick

Period

C.1930-1952. MAY HAVE BEEN USED BETWEEN 1952-1968.

Canada

An example of a 'homemade' piece of equipment improvised out of necessity in an economically depressed area of Canada. “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 4]

Function

THIS UNIT WAS DESIGNED TO CARRY SOME BASIC LABORATORY EQUIPMENT TO THE BEDSIDE. SOME SIMPLE TESTS MAY HAVE BEEN PERFORMED ON SITE, WHILE OTHERS MAY HAVE BEEN PREPARED AT THE BEDSIDE & RETURNED TO THE LABORATORY FOR COMPLETION. (REF.1)

Technical

THIS PORTABLE LABORATORY IS A CLEVERLY DESIGNED UNIT TO BRING LAB. TESTS TO THE PATIENT BEDSIDE IN AN ERA WHEN MOST LAB. TESTS WERE TIME CONSUMING AND REQUIRED LARGE VOLUMES OF REAGENTS AND MANY PIECES OF GLASSWARE. BEDSIDE TESTING IS AN ONGOING AREA OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE FIELD OF MEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

NONE

Missing

APPEARS COMPLETE - LATCH IS LOOSE BUT PRESENT

Finish

WOOD PAINTED WHITE

Decoration

N/A