Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

PORTABLE ULTRAVIOLET SET

Date

1944

Materials

METAL, GLASS, VINYL, PAPER

No. Pieces

7

Height

40.8

Diameter

20.2

Description

CIRCULAR METAL BASE WITH ELECTRIC CORD. UPPER PORTION OF THE LAMP CONSISTS OF 2 METAL RODS THAT FORM 3 SIDES OF RECTANGLE BEFORE CONNECTING TO A BASE. BETWEEN THE RODS IS A METAL HALF CYLINDER SHADE BEHIND A GLASS TUBE/BULB. DIAL ON BASE RANGES FROM 1-6 MINUTES. MODEL NAME IS SUN KRAFT. OPERATING & SAFETY INSTRUCTION ON METAL PLATE ATTACHED TO BASE. A NOTE REGARDING SAFETY APPROVAL BY THE CANADIAN ENGINEERING STANDARDS ASSOCIATION IS LOCATED ON A PAPER LABEL BELOW THE BULB CASE, 22.3 X 43.4 CM. IS MADE OF VINYL WITH BLACK HANDLE. CLASP ON FRONT. BACK HAS 2 HINGES, 4 RUBBER PROTECTORS ON BOTTOM. .1 UV LAMP, HANDLE MOUNTED ON REVERSE REFLECTOR. REFLECTOR SWIVEL MOUNTED AT BOTTOM. .2 UV GOGGLES, BROWN CLOTH MASK GREEN PLASTIC LENSES AND BLACK FRAMES. GREEN CLOTH BANDS. GREEN TRIM ON MASK. .3 HINGED LATCH ON FRONT STAMPED "MADE IN U.S.A.". .4 PAPER MANUAL "HOW TO USE YOUR SUN CRAFT" OPERATIONAL MANUAL. BLUE COVER WITH WHITE TEXT. .5 NOTICE SHEET, "AUTOMATICTIME-SWITCH CONTROL". SINGLE PINK SHEET SHOWS MINOR SOILING. .6 FOLDED ADVERTISMENT SHEET "SUN KRAFT QUARTS ULTRAVIOLET LAMP MODEL "A-1", "$98.00". .7 SINGLE FOLD ADVERTISEMENT SHEET "ULTRAVIOLET RAY HEALTH BUILDER" WHITE COVER WITHE BLACK TEXT. PAPER SHOWS STAINING.

Subjects

LIGHTING DEVICE

MEDICAL & DENTAL T&E

Historical Association

HEALTH SERVICES

History

THE FOLLOWING NARRATIVE WAS SUBMITTED BY PAT DE BOER TO THE GALT IN 2009. MY DAD PURCHASED THIS MEDICAL DEVICE SOMETIME BETWEEN 1945 AND 1949. IF HE BOUGHT IT IN 1945, HE WOULD HAVE STILL BEEN LIVING ON THE FARM AT GRANUM AND IT WAS NOT UNCOMMON TO HAVE SALESMEN DRIVE INTO THE YARD SELLING ALL SORTS OF THINGS. IF HE BOUGHT IT BETWEEN 1946 AND 1949 HE WOULD HAVE BEEN LIVING IN VANCOUVER AND I AM GUESSING THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN PURCHASED FROM A SALESMAN THAT CAME TO THE HOUSE. THESE MEDICAL DEVICES WERE USUALLY “GUARANTEED” TO CURE ALMOST ANYTHING BUT I THINK THAT DAD WOULD HAVE BOUGHT IT TO HELP WITH HIS BRONCHITIS. THE HIGH HUMIDITY IN VANCOUVER WAS HARD ON HIS LUNGS. I DON’T EVER REMEMBER SEEING DAD USE IT, ALTHOUGH I AM SURE HE DID (AT LEAST IN VANCOUVER). WE MOVED TO PENTICTON, BC IN 1949 WHERE IT WAS MUCH DRIER AND I DON’T HAVE ANY RECOLLECTION OF HIM USING IT THERE EITHER, ALTHOUGH I THINK HE PROBABLY DID, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE FIRST MOVED. I CAN REMEMBER, THOUGH, THAT I WAS ALLOWED TO “PLAY” WITH IT ON THE ODD OCCASION, AS LONG AS MY MOTHER SUPERVISED. I REMEMBER FEELING VERY GROWN UP WHEN I WAS ALLOWED TO PUT ON THE GOGGLES AND HAVE THE LIGHT SHINING ON ME BECAUSE I FELT I WAS RECEIVING A “WONDERFUL ADULT HEALING PROCEDURE”. IT WAS KEPT IN THE CLOSET OVER THE STAIRS FOR AS LONG AS THEY WERE IN PENTICTON AND BROUGHT WITH THEM WHEN THEY MOVED TO LETHBRIDGE IN 1962. AFTER THEY MOVED, IT WAS PUT IN A CLOSET AND FORGOTTEN ABOUT. MY DAD DIED IN 1975 AND MOM STAYED IN THE HOUSE UNTIL SHE DIED IN 1980. MY OLDEST DAUGHTER AND HER HUSBAND MOVED INTO THE HOUSE AFTER MOM DIED AND THE “MARVELOUS MEDICAL MACHINE” REMAINED IN STORAGE UNTIL MY DAUGHTER AND HER HUSBAND MOVED INTO THEIR OWN HOUSE IN COALDALE. WE CLOSED MOM AND DAD’S HOUSE DOWN IN 1983 AND THE MACHINE WAS GIVEN TO THE GALT MUSEUM AT THAT TIME. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY MOM NEVER GOT RID OF THIS ITEM. THE ONLY EXPLANATION IS THAT MY MOTHER WAS A GREAT SAVER AND VERY RARELY EVER DISPOSED OF ANYTHING BECAUSE “YOU MIGHT NEED IT ONE DAY”.

Catalogue Number

P19830018000

Acquisition Date

1983-04

Collection

Museum

Less detail