WALKER

Description: A BLACK, METAL FRAMED WALKER WITH AN ORANGE WOODEN SEAT. THE BLACK FRAME SITS ON FOUR STEEL LEGS ENDING IN BLACK PLASTIC AND RUBBER WHEELS. THE HANDLES ARE WRAPPED IN LEATHER, ATTACHED WITH BLACK ELECTRICAL TAPE. TWO BLACK STRAPS UNDERNEATH EACH HANDLE EXTEND DOWN TO THE WHEELS, PULLED TO ACTIVATE A SPRING BRAKE SYSTEM. FOUR WHITE STICKERS WRAPPED AROUND THE BLACK FRAME LEGS READ “ETAC ORIGINAL”. VERY GOOD CONDITION: THE WALKER IS DIRTY AND THE ORANGE WOOD SEAT HAS SLIGHT WHITE AND BLACK STAINING.

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 EARLY WALKER THAT WAS USED “TO HELP GET PATIENT[S] TO STAND STRAIGHT. [THE PATIENTS] HAD TO WALK INTO THE WALKER AND THAT MA[DE] THEM WALK STRAIGHT.” IT WAS USED WITH ORTHOPEDICS. IT’S PRIMARY PURPOSE WAS TO AID PATIENTS WHO NEEDED ASSISTANCE WITH MOBILIZATION. THE ALUMNI STATE, “WALKERS NOW HAVE BEEN IMPROVED TREMENDOUSLY FOR PATIENT COMFORT AND SAFETY.” 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.