Infant soda lime canister

Infant soda-lime canister, absorbs carbon dioxide, no maker marked, 1940-1949

When we breathe out, we exhale carbon dioxide. During a surgical operation, soda-lime is used to capture the carbon dioxide and prevent it re-entering the breathing circuit. The volume of soda lime needed depends on the size of the patient and the approximate volume of air they will exhale. This technique was developed by Ralph Waters (1883–1979), an American anaesthetist, who developed serval techniques and developing professional training in the United States. He was also appointed to the world's first Chair of Anesthesiology.