These objects tell the story of government and campaigning efforts to improve public health, notably through vaccination, as well as through the everyday items we use to maintain or improve personal hygiene.
Public Health & Hygiene
Expiry date 1945
Empty can for normal human albumin, USA Armed Forces (?), 1939-45. Can marked "Standard Army and Navy Package of Normal Serum Albumin."
Drip chamber, association?
1823
Pewter lid from a lavabo, perhaps Swiss, 1823
1900-1930
Thirteen clay curlers, hollow cylinders, said to be of "tara earth" used for children's hair, disinfecting etc, Damascus, 1900-1930
1976
Salt poor human albumin by Lister Institute, Britain, 1976. Bottle is graduated in millimetres and has a foil covered cap. There is a velcro strip attached to the back of the bottle.
c. 1957
Box of 12 blood donor needles by S & R J Everett & Co. Ltd., Britain, circa 1957. A small piece of tape is stuck to the box.
1940
World War Two civilian duty respirator.
Glass test tube
1900-1950
Set of three conical glass measures.
Wellplate, unknown maker
1986-1990
Poster (b&w), 'Choose Safer Sex', awareness of safer sex, HIV and AIDS, image of of 2 males, one with head on the other's chest/shoulder, produced by the Health Education Authority, England, c1986-1990.
1987-2000
Poster (b&w) , 'When nature calls are you prepared to listen?' Be sensible Be Drinkwise. Illustration of lavatory door type icon of female holding head. Awareness of alcohol consumption campaign. Produced by the Health Education Authority, London, England, 1987-2000 .
Poster (b&w) , ''A wee bit of advice about drinking' Be sensible Be Drinkwise. Illustration of lavatory door type icon of female holding glass of wine in outstretched hand. Awareness of alcohol consumption campaign. Produced by the Health Education Authority, London, England, 1987-2000 .
1933
Box containing 1 vial of 2 cc Schick Test Diphtheria toxin, manufactured by Park Davis & co, 1933.
1980
Packet of dried smallpox vaccine B.P. (Ovine), single dose of Lancy-Vaxina for use with scratch technique, by Swiss Serum and Vaccine Institute for Department of Health and Social Security, (DHSS), 1980
1956-1958
Fold out comic-style leaflet entitled 'The Adventures of the Wisdom Family', subtitled 'What - No Smoking', dealing with smoking issues within a fictional family in the light of the then recent health concerns about smoking, produced by the Central Council for Health Education, London, England, c. 1957
1980-1983
Cards illustrated with coloured cartoons, 11 of 35, from a series concerning various diseases and their prevention by childhood vaccination, for use in public health campaigns in Colombia, produced in Colombia in association with UNICEF, 1980-1983. This particular card shows a male child wearing blue jeans and a red and yellow striped top. He is lying on his back with his back arched up into the air. There are lines around him as if to give the impression of movement or shaking. There are four lines of script written in black text along the bottom edge of the card.
c1850-1890
Cast iron water pump, made by J Thomas of Kidderminster, England, c1850-1890.
1987-1999
Poster (b&w), 'Measles is Misery', measles vaccination, headshot of young girl with measles. One of 800 health education posters produced for the Central Council for Health Education (1927-69), Health Education Council (1969-87) and Health Education Authority (1987-2000).
c. 1960-1969
poster, 'Be protected. Beat Polio now', Poster advertising polio vaccinations. Line drawing of sugar lump on spoon.One of 800 health education posters produced for the Central Council for Health Education (1927-69), Health Education Council (1969-87) and Health Education Authority (1987-2000).
Cards illustrated with coloured cartoons, 34 of 35, from a series concerning various diseases and their prevention by childhood vaccination, for use in public health campaigns in Colombia, produced in Colombia in association with UNICEF, 1980-1983. This particular card depicts a yellow bacterium that is in the shape of the letter 'D'. The words 'D de Difteria' are written in bubble writing above the image. The background to the card is bright blue.
1994
Roll of five 0.5ml B-D `Soloshot' Syringes. Manufactured by Becton Dickinson & Co, New Jersey, USA and supplied by the UNICEF Supply Division, Copenhagen, Denmark, 1994 (see note)
Cards illustrated with coloured cartoons, 3 of 35, from a series concerning various diseases and their prevention by childhood vaccination, for use in public health campaigns in Colombia, produced in Colombia in association with UNICEF, 1980-1983. This particular card displays a large letter P in red text within a yellow rectangle in the upper left corner. To the centre and right of the card are the words 'de Pertusis O Tosferina' with a cartoon image of bacteria underneath the text. The background is red and pink.
1810-1821
Leather covered tobacco box, owned by Dr. Edward Jenner, with masonic symbols and family crest, lip decorated with copper greyhound, by Hewitt's, England, 1810-1821.
1980-1993
Fold-out colour poster with photograph showing oral administration vaccine to a young infant, message in French translates as "Immunise our children" "A child who's vaccinated is protected against illness", produced in Burkina Faso in association with UNICEF, 1980-1993
1901-1950
First aid notice, cardboard, English, 1901-1950
1981-1987
poster, 'No catch' AIDS which states you will not get AIDS from sharing glasses and cups, one of 800 health education posters produced for the Central Council for Health Education (1927-69), Health Education Council (1969-87) and Health Education Authority (1987-2000).
1918
One of 3 posters, entitled 'The Louse Danger', with illustrations by Grace Edwards, published by British Museum (Natural History), London, 1918
1900-1945
Syringe for blood transfusion, with accessories in metal case, found by Sir John Boyd whilst on active service, French, c.1940
Cards illustrated with coloured cartoons, 15 of 35, from a series concerning various diseases and their prevention by childhood vaccination, for use in public health campaigns in Colombia, produced in Colombia in association with UNICEF, 1980-1983. This particular card shows a leg extended across the centre of the card with a small cut in the centre of the shin. There is a hand suspended above the leg pouring a liquid onto the cut. There is a red border to the card along the top and bottom edge. There are four lines of script written in black text along the bottom edge of the card.
1940-1945
Blackout ventilator made by Colt Ventilation Ltd, around 1940.
1945-1960
Soap cake in wrapper, sphagnol brand with instruction leaflet , by Peat Products, 3 Carmalt Gardens, Putney, London, SW15, 1945-60.
1740
Silver spoon, one of two, commemorating smallpox recovery, 1741, made in London, 1740
1907
Ampoule of vaccine in original carton, by the Jenner Institute for Calf Lymph Ltd., English
1920-1930
Blind man fortune telling machine, with standing figure beneath a glass dome who points his white stick to one of a number of written phrases when activated via a penny (1d) slot; a second coin slot is for charitable donations to the National Institute for the Blind, made by Walter Hart of Ramsgate, England, c.1920-1930.
Cards illustrated with coloured cartoons, 22 of 35, from a series concerning various diseases and their prevention by childhood vaccination, for use in public health campaigns in Colombia, produced in Colombia in association with UNICEF, 1980-1983. This particular card shows a sick boy wearing a white long sleeved shirt being spoon fed soup. There is a pink border to the card along the top and bottom edge. There are three lines of script written in black text along the bottom edge of the card.
Cards illustrated with coloured cartoons, 29 of 35, from a series concerning various diseases and their prevention by childhood vaccination, for use in public health campaigns in Colombia, produced in Colombia in association with UNICEF, 1980-1983. This particular card depicts a male chile stood up coughing with the words 'cof, cof, cof, cof' in a speech bubble to the left of the card. There is a red border to the card along the top and bottom edge. There are four lines of script written in black text along the bottom edge of the card.
Cards illustrated with coloured cartoons, 5 of 35, from a series concerning various diseases and their prevention by childhood vaccination, for use in public health campaigns in Colombia, produced in Colombia in association with UNICEF, 1980-1983. This particular card shows two young boys facing each other. The child on the right is wearing a mask over his face to prevent him from getting germs. There are four lines of script written in black text along the bottom of the card.
1999
Ashes box, used by crematorium to give remains in person (not through the post), cardboard type, adult-sized, 1999.
1870-1930
Smallpox pustule (or vesicle) gauge used to estimate the duration of immunity imparted by vaccination, by Young, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1870-1930
1801-1900
4 ivory points used for calf lymph, in wooden box
Poster, 'Two Eyes Nose Mouth, How to recognise someone with HIV (the virus that leads to AIDS)' pointing out the fact that anyone can have HIV, one of 800 health education posters produced for the Central Council for Health Education (1927-69), Health Education Council (1969-87) and Health Education Authority (1987-2000).
Banner from the VIII International Conference on AIDS, the Harvard-Amsterdam Conference, held in Amsterdam, July 1992, from the Global AIDS Policy Coalition, Cambridge, USA
Glass ampoule of dysentry vaccine, French
1701-1800
Barber's shaving bowl, pewter, oval shaped, Italian, 18th century
Rectangular mirror backed with simulated leather, with short tape
Barber's shaving bowl, soft paste porcelain, Chinese, 19th century
Item of crockery from kitchen of volunteers' flat at the Common Cold Research Unit
Concealed lancet, silver, British, 19th century
Barber's shaving bowl, lustred tin glazed earthenware, 19th century
