BASIN

Description: 1: A WHITE ENAMEL FOOTBATH WITH A BLUE RIM. ON THE SIDE OF THE BATH ARE BLACK PAINTED LETTERS “D.R.” AND TWO STICKERS. ONE IS A CIRCULAR STICKER WITH A RED CROSS IN THE CENTER AND A BLUE BORDER, READING “HYGIENIC ENAMELED WARE”, “L.D.C. CO. N. Y.”, AND “MADE IN CZECHO-SLOVAKIA”. THE SECOND STICKER IS MISSING HALF, COLOURED GREEN AND GOLD, READING “TORON…”, “MONTREAL”, AND “PHYSICIANS”. ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BATH IS TEXT, STAMPED IN RED THAT READS “HYGIENIC MADE IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA REG’D”. GOOD CONDITION: THE ENAMEL IS CHIPPED ON THE LIP AND THE BOTTOM EDGE, ON THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE, REVEALING THE METAL FRAME. THE INSIDE CHIP IS RUSTED. 2: A LID TO THE FOOT BATH. WHITE ENAMEL WITH A BLUE HIGHLIGHTED LIP AND HANDLE. FAIR CONDITION: THE ENAMEL IS CHIPPED AROUND THE HANDLE AND ALL EDGES, EXPOSING THE METAL FRAME.

History: UPON DONATION TO THE MUSEUM, COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN KEVIN MACLEAN ASKED MEMBERS OF THE GALT SCHOOL OF NURSING (GSN) ALUMNAE TO PROVIDE WRITTEN ANSWERS ON QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO EACH ARTIFACT DONATED IN THE COLLECTION. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION HAS COME FROM THOSE RESPONSES CORRESPONDING TO EACH INDIVIDUAL ARTIFACT. THIS IS AN ARM OR A FOOT BATH. IT WAS USED FOR SOAKING AN ARM OR A FOOT BECAUSE OF INFECTION OR IF THERE WAS SWELLING. THIS BATH WAS USED BY NURSES ON THE MEDICAL AND SURGICAL WARDS. IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF AN EARLIER BATH, WITH THE BATHS BECOMING STAINLESS STEEL AFTER 1955. THE HISTORY STATES THAT THE ARTIFACT “WAS CONTAINED FOR INFECTION CONTROL [AND] INDIVIDUALIZED FOR PATIENTS.” THIS ARTIFACT IS AMONG A COLLECTION DONATED NEAR THE END OF 2014, BEING THE SECOND WAVE OF GSN ARTIFACTS ACQUIRED THAT YEAR. WITH THE FIRST WAVE OF GSN ARTIFACTS COLLECTED IN SUMMER 2014, COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN KEVIN MACLEAN INTERVIEWED THE PAST ARCHIVISTS OF THE GALT SCHOOL OF NURSING COLLECTION, SHIRLEY HIGA, ELAINE HAMILTON, AND SUE KYLLO, ABOUT THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH THE GSN ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION AND THE HISTORY OF ARTIFACTS DONATED. FOR THAT INFORMATION, PLEASE REFER TO P20140006001. PLEASE SEE THE PERMANENT FILE FOR MORE INFORMATION.