General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

2

AKA

backboard

Patents

N/A

General Description

metal and synthetic materials

Dimensions

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

Length

182.0 cm

Width

60.0 cm

Height

95.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Medical Technology

Category

Radiology

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Picker

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Saskatchewan

Period

Possibly used c. 1962+; not used after 2005.

Canada

Weyburn Mental Hospital in Weyburn, SK opened its doors in 1921 and closed (as the Souris Valley Hospital) in 2005. From the 1940s to 1971 it took part in controversial treatments for mental illness including lobotomy and electro shock therapy. It was also famous for its pioneering experiments with LSD in the 1950s and 60s. Dr. Humphrey Osmond, who coined the term "psychedelic" performed several experiments with patients and university students. In its heyday, the Weyburn was a well-equipped, self-sufficient health facility. Some complained that it was even better equipped than the local hospital. This x-ray machine [system component] would have been the workhorse for the institution. It was still in use after the building shut down a few years ago. It does not have direct ties to the more controversial history at Weyburn, but in colour and design, mirrored the institutional interior of Weyburn. Much of the old equipment and supplies went to developing countries when the shut-down occurred and some went to the University of Regina theatrical department. [Ref. 1]

Function

Unknown

Technical

Durable x-ray, fluoroscopic machine [component] used for many purposes. It was part of a new generation of fluoroscopic technology following the invention of image intensifiers in 1953. With those photomultiplier tubes, ordinary movie cameras could capture the moving pictures of fluoroscopic images. Contrast agents such as barium would have been used to see bodily processes in real time. [Ref.1]

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

"PICKER" printed in black on silver metal plate fixed to unit front. Indicator lights labelled "CTM", "RANGE", "HI", "LO", "BUCKY" and "RANGE". "SUPER-SPEED/ Recipromatic" printed on decal applied to cassette holder frame. Metal plate on cassette holder housing reads "[logo]/ LIEBEL-FLARSHEIM/ SYBRION CORPORATION/ MODEL 102/ MANUFAC-/TURED/ JANUARY 1977/ POTTER BUCKY DIAPHRAGM/ MFG. UNDER ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING PATENTS/ 2,591,536 2,689,916 2,733,352 OTHER PATENTS PENDING./ 120 V. 60 Hz. 1 AMPS. X-RAY CIRCUIT 5 AMPS./ SERIAL/ NO./ 29817/ LIEBEL- FLARSHEIM COMPANY/ DIVISION OF SYBRION CORPORATION/ CINCINNATI, OHIO 45219 U.S.A."

Missing

Casing panel, screws and other minor fittings.

Finish

Predominantly metal unit has pale green enamel finish on most exterior surfaces; silver metal trim and fittings; black synthetic knob on handwheel; bright green synthetic indicator lights on control panel; off-white arborite screen bears black fiducial marks; cassette bed receptacle is black metal; grey synthetic covering on electrical cables.

Decoration

N/A