Material Type

Artifact

Date Range From

1940

Date Range To

1950

Materials

CANVAS, CARDBOARD

No. Pieces

7

Height

2

Length

31.6

Width

22.1

Description

1. GOLD CANVAS FOLDING POUCH FOR FIRST AID ITEMS. POCKETS FORMED BY SIDE WING OF CENTRAL CLOTH, FOLDED IN AND SEWN INTO COMPARTMENTS. TWO SNAP CLOSURES AT ONE END WHICH FASTEN TO OUTSIDE EDGE OF FOLDED KIT. BEIGE BIAS TAPE AT SEAMS. WHITE TAG AT TOP HAS GREEN PRINT READING "IT PAYS TO BUY FROM SAFETY SUPPPLY SAFE T CLOTHING MADE IN CANADA". SNAPS ENGRAVED "UNITED CARR". CANVAS IS SLIGHTLY SOILED. 2. TUBE OF "TAN-A-BURN": 9.8CM X 2.2CM. ALUMINUM TUBE, PAINTED ORANGE. IN BLACK PRINT, READS "TAN-A-BURN REG. U.S. PAT. OFF. APPROXIMATELY 3/4 OZ. AVOIR FOR BURNS". CONTENTS AND DIRECTIONS FOR USE ALSO PRINTED, WITH "PACKAGED BY MEDICAL SUPPLY COMPANY ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS". 3. VILE OF IODINE: 9.2CM X 1.2CM (D). TINTED PLASTIC VILE WITH BLACK PLASTIC LID, IN WHITE CARDBOARD SHEATH. SHEATH PERFORATED WITH 4 HOLES ALONG LENGTH OF BACK. RED PRINT READS "IODINE APPLICATION 10CC.", WITH POISON SYMBOL, CONTENTS AND DIRECTIONS FOR USE. MANUFACTURED BY "MEDICAL SUPPLY COMPANY ROCKFORD, ILL EVERYTHING FOR FIRST AID". 4. WIRE SPLINT IN BOX: 10.1CM (L) X 5.4CM (W). COMPRESSED, GRATED WIRE SPLINT 3 3/4 IN. X 30 IN. IN LENGTH. PIECE OF GREEN CARBOARD FOLDED INTO END. C/W KHAKI, TOP-OPENING BOX WITH BLACK PRINT READING "MSCO UNIT NO. 116A WIRE SPLINT DISTRIBUTED BY: SAFETY SUPPLY COMPANY CANADA". BACK HAS INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE, WITH DIAGRAM. 5. BANDAGE COMPRESS IN BOX: 10.2CM (L) X 5.5CM (W). TWO 3" BANDAGE COMPRESSES INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED IN GREEN WAXED PAPER. YELLOW LABEL ON FRONT WITH RED INK READING "3" BANDAGE COMPRESS STERILIZED-IF THIS WRAPPER IS BROKEN OR OPENED STERILITY CANNOT BE GUARANTEED. PACKAGED BY MEDICAL SUPPLY COMPANY ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS". CIRCULAR SEAL ON BACK. C/W KHAKI, TOP-OPENING BOX WITH BLACK PRINT READING "MSCO UNIT NO. 121A BANDAGE COMPRESS", WITH MANUFACTURER. INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE, WITH DIAGRAMS, ON BACK. TOP RIGHT CORNER OF BOX CRUSHED. 6. BANDAGE COMPRESS IN BOX: 10.2CM (L) X 5.5CM (W). SINGLE 4" STERILIZED DRESSING, INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED IN GREEN WAXED PAPER. YELLOW LABEL ON FRONT WITH RED PRINT READS "4" BANDAGE COMPRESS STERILIZED-IF THIS WRAPPER IS BROKEN OR OPENED, STERILITY CANNOT BE GUARANTEED. DISTRIBUTED BY MEDICAL SUPPLY CO. ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS". C/W KHAKI, TOP-OPENING BOX WITH BLACK PRINT READING "MSCO UNIT NO. 109A BANDAGE COMPRESS" WITH MANUFACTURER. BACK SAME AS THAT FOR 5. 7. AMMONIA INHALANTS IN BOX: 10.2CM (L) X 5.5CM (W). 9 INDIVIDUAL INHALANTS PACKAGED IN BOX WITH CORRUGATED CARDBOARD SHEET. EACH INHALANT IS WHITE NYLON TUBE WITH FRAYED ENDS, CONTAINING AROMATIC AMMONIA. PAPER LABEL AROUND CENTRE WITH BLUE PRINT READS "AROMATIC AMMONIA FOR USE AS SMELLING SALTS. ALCOHOL 36% STAFFORD LABORATORIES WORCESTER, MASS." FOUR OF INHALANTS HAVE PINK STAINING AT ONE END, FROM CONTENTS. C/W KHAKI TOP-OPENING BOX WITH BLACK PRINT READING "MSCO UNIT NO. 104A AMMONIA INHALANTS" WITH MANUFACTURER. KIT ALSO CONTAINS THREE SAFETY PINS AND ONE LARGE SEWING NEEDLE, WHICH WERE THREADED THROUGH TAG ON CANVAS.

Subjects

MEDICAL & DENTAL T&E

Historical Association

HEALTH SERVICES

History

DONATED IN MEMORY OF MRS. AGNES SHORT, WHO WAS A NURSE IN LETHBRIDGE UNTIL C. 1970. HELPED WITH FIRST POLIO VACCINATION HERE, AND WAS PART OF THE HEALTH CLINIC FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS. FATHER WAS WILLIAM H. SHORT, WHO WAS THE LAST FIRE CHIEF OF THE OLD NO.1 FIREHALL IN LETHBRIDGE. *UPDATE* IN 2016 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT RUTHANN LABLANCE CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF CLOTHING, INCLUDING A BELT DONATED BY SHARON DEREK. THE FOLLOWING BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION WAS COMPILED USING ARTICLES FROM THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD. THE DONOR, SHARON DERRICK, IS THE NIECE OF AGNES SHORT. AGNES CHRISTINA SHORT WAS BORN ON APRIL 20, 1916 TO WILLIAM H. AND BERTHA SHORT (MAIDEN NAME UNKNOWN). SHE GRADUATED FROM LETHBRIDGE COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE AND THEN ATTDNED THE CALGARY GENERAL HOSPITAL FOR NURSING TRAINING, WHICH SHE GRADUATED FROM IN 1939. AGNES WAS THE SUPERVISOR AT THE GALT HOSPITAL FROM 1939-1945. SHE WAS IN CHARGE OF THE NURSING STAFF OF LETHBRIDGE SCHOOL DISTRICT #51 FROM 1947 UNTIL 1958. SHE WAS ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF NURSING AT THE LETHBRIDGE HEALTH UNIT FROM 1964 UNTIL HER RETIREMENT. SHE RETIRED IN 1980 AFTER 42 YEARS OF NURSING. AGNES PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 78 ON OCTOBER 20, 1994. WILLIAM HENRY SHORT WAS AGNES’S FATHER. HE WAS BORN IN LONDON, ENGLAND IN 1889 AND MOVED TO CANADA IN 1909. HE INITIALLY WORKED FOR THE CITY WATERWORKS DEPARTMENT IN LETHBRIDGE FOR TWO YEARS, BEFORE SPENDING 51 YEARS IN SERVICE OF THE LETHBRIDGE FIRE DEPARTMENT. HE OVERSAW THE INTRODUCTION OF MOTORIZED FIRE ENGINES, SWITCHING FROM HORSE POWERED WAGONS, IN 1913. HE ALSO SAW THE DEPARTMENT GROW IN SIZE FROM ONLY 13 TO 49 MEN. HE PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 84 ON NOVEMBER 18, 1974. WILLIAM’S WIFE BERTHA L. SHORT PASSED AWAY ON JULY 28, 1989. ACCORDING TO AN ARTICLE ABOUT AGNES’S LIFE, THE SHORT FAMILY LIVED IN NUMBER 1 FIRE HALL, WHERE WILLIAM WAS FIRE CHIEF. WILLIAM H. AND BERTHA ALSO HAD ANOTHER CHILD, WILLIAM D. SHORT. HE WAS BORN ON AUGUST 16, 1916 AND PASSED AWAY ON AUGUST 5, 1990. HE WAS MARRIED TO MYRTLE (NEE NELSON) SHORT AND THEIR CHILDREN INCLUDE THE DONOR, SHARON DERRICK. SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR COPIES OF THE ARTICLES FROM THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD. *UPDATE* IN 2018 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT ELISE PUNDYK CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF BOXED TEXTILES AND ACCESSORIES INCLUDING A NUMBER OF ARTIFACTS DONATED BY SHARON DERRICK. ON 1 MARCH 2018, PUNDYK INTERVIEWED DERRICK REGARDING HER DONATION. WHILE THIS SPECIFIC ARTIFACT WAS NOT RECOGNIZED BY THE DONOR AND ITS USER WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE ARTIFACT TYPE COULD BE CONNECTED TO THE FIRE-FIGHTING CAREERS OF EITHER THE DONOR’S GRANDFATHER, WILLIAM H. SHORT, OR THE DONOR’S FATHER, WILLIAM D. SHORT (FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT HISTORY, SEE P19950037007) OR WITH THE NURSING CAREER OF THE DONOR’S AUNT, AGNES SHORT (FOR NURSING HISTORY, SEE P19950037003). AN ARTICLE COMMEMORATING THE CAREER OF WILLIAM H. SHORT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD ON JANUARY 16, 1962. IT STATES, “NOT ONLY WILL CHIEF SHORT’S CAREER SOON REACH ITS CLIMAX, THE ROLES PLAYED BY HIS WIFE BERTHA AND HIS DAUGHTER AGNES WILL ALSO COME TO AN END. BOTH WOMEN PLAYED THEIR PART IN THE CHIEF’S FIRE-FIGHTING CAREER… AGNES FOLLOWED THE ENGINES, PROVIDED FIRST AID TREATMENT ON THE SCENE OR LIGHTED THE CIGARETTES FOR THE BOYS WHILE THEY WERE BATTLING FLAMES AND SMOKE.” WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE REASON FOR THE DONATION OF HER FAMILY’S ARTIFACTS DURING THE 2018 INTERVIEW, DERRICK EXPLAINED, “I WAS THE EXECUTOR FOR MY AUNT’S WILL AND WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY SHE [WAS LIVING IN] MY GRANDMOTHER AND GRANDFATHER’S HOME. ALL THIS STUFF HAD BEEN LEFT IN THE HOUSE, SO WHEN WE WERE CLEANING IT OUT FOLLOWING HER DEATH, WE CAME ACROSS ALL THESE THINGS. WHILE I KEPT SOME AS MEMENTOS, MY SISTER AND I [DECIDED TO DONATE OTHER ITEMS TO THE MUSEUM].” PLEASE PERMANENT FILE P19950037001, FOR MORE INFORMATION INCLUDING FULL INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTION AND COPIES OF ARTICLES REGARDING THE FAMILY HISTORY.

Catalogue Number

P19950038029

Acquisition Date

1995-06

Collection

Museum

Less detail