General Information

Serial #

298

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

metal and synthetic components

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

69.0 cm

Width

38.0 cm

Height

141.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Medical Technology

Category

Radiology

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Picker

Country

United States of America

State/Province

Ohio

City

Cleveland

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Saskatchewan

Period

This unit believed used c. 1962+; not used after 2005.

Canada

Weyburn Mental Hospital in Weyburn, SK opened its doors in 1921 and closed (as the Souris Valley Hospital) in 2005. From the 1940s to 1971 it took part in controversial treatments for mental illness including lobotomy and electro shock therapy. It was also famous for its pioneering experiments with LSD in the 1950s and 60s. Dr. Humphrey Osmond, who coined the term "psychedelic" performed several experiments with patients and university students. In its heyday, the Weyburn was a well-equipped, self-sufficient health facility. Some complained that it was even better equipped than the local hospital. This x-ray machine [system component] would have been the workhorse for the institution. It was still in use after the building shut down a few years ago. It does not have direct ties to the more controversial history at Weyburn, but in colour and design, mirrored the institutional interior of Weyburn. Much of the old equipment and supplies went to developing countries when the shut-down occurred and some went to the University of Regina theatrical department. [Ref. 1]

Function

To regulate dosage, time exposure, and activate x-ray camera shutter.

Technical

Control unit for a durable x-ray, fluoroscopic machine used for many purposes. It was part of a new generation of fluoroscopic technology following the invention of large image intensifiers in 1953. With these photomultiplier tubes, ordinary movie cameras could capture the moving pictures of the fluoroscopic images. Contrast agents such as barium would have been used to see bodily processes in real time. {ref. 1]

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

All controls, etc. labelled. "PICKER G-500S" printed on metal plate fixed to unit front. Metal plate fixed to lower front edge of casing reads "PICKER X-RAY CORPORATION/ WAITE MANUFACTURING DIVISION CLEVELAND, OHIO, U.S.A./ CAT. 827/ SER. 298/ CYCLES 60/ LINE V. 240/ SEC. P.K.V. 150/PHASE 1/ AMPS/ SEC. CONT. 0.10/ SEC. INTER. 500/ LINE N.L. 7/ LINE CONT. 15/ LINE INTER. 355". "WARNING/ THIS X-RAY EQUIPMENT IS DANGEROUS TO BOTH PATIENT AND OPERATOR UNLESS SAFE EXPOSURE FACTORS/ ARE OBSERVED. SOLD TO BE USED ONLY BY OR ON THE PRESCRIPTION OF A PHYSICIAN/ WARNING" printed on lower front of control panel. Green dymo label applied to casing below control panel reads "KEEP ROTOR ON AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE".

Missing

Unknown.

Finish

Metal cabinet painted drab green; silver/grey, black and opaque synthetic and metal trim and minor fittings; off-white and light grey synthetic coverings on electrical cables; light grey synthetic and silver metal hand grip [trigger] control.

Decoration

N/A