Infant identification set ("Deknatel Name-On Beads"), made by J.A. Deknatel & Son, Inc., USA, c.1925

Ensuring and then maintaining the correct identification of a new born infant within the often busy and crowded environment of a hospital is essential. This infant identification kit was manufactured by J A Deknatel & Son Inc in New York. ‘Deknatel Name-On Beads’ were used in maternity wards to make up bracelets or necklaces bearing letters which spelled out an infant’s name. The necklaces could later become keepsakes.

The necklaces had the benefit of being secure and easy to read. The box also contains umbilical tape and advertisements for Deknatel’s other products. In many of today’s hospitals, matching identification bracelets are worn by mother and child as a security measure against babies being switched or stolen.