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Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Blue glass sputum bottle, oval in section with cap and outlet at bottom, probably English, 1871-1920.
Sputum bottles were used by people suffering from tuberculosis to cough sputum into. The foul-smelling sputum contains the bacteria responsible for causing the disease. Contact with sputum, coughed up from the lungs, could spread the disease. The blue glass bottle would have been cleaned and disinfected after use.
Details
- Category:
- Public Health & Hygiene
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A650914
- Materials:
- pear-shaped, glass, aluminium (metal), complete and blue
- Measurements:
-
overall: 112 mm x 73 mm x 37 mm, .12 kg
- type:
- sputum bottle
