Kreiselman Resuscitator
Dr. Joseph Kreiselman (1895-1968) invented several resuscitators. He described this simple bellows apparatus in 1943, while serving as an anesthesiology consultant to the Surgeon General, and it was adopted by the Army for use in World War II. It was made by the Ohio Company, which also made anesthesia machines for use by the United States military. After the war, the apparatus continued in civilian use through the 1960s. It incorporates valves that permit fresh air intake at all times, prevent rebreathing of the exhaled air, and prevent air from being forced into the lungs at excessive pressure. A tube on one end also allowed connection to a source of oxygen.
The mask was held in place with one hand, while the bellows were rhythmically inflated and deflated with the operator's other hand. For victims who were supine (lying face up), the mask was connected directly to the bellows. An elbow connector allowed use of the mask on victims who were either lying on one side, or face down (prone.) The latter position also made it possible for a second rescue worker to administer prone pressure resuscitation simultaneously.
Catalog Record: Kreiselman Resuscitator Kreiselman Resuscitator
Access Key: akob
Accession No.: 2012-11-21-2
Title: Kreiselman resuscitator model 110 / [designed by Joseph Kreiselman].
Author: Kreiselman, Joseph, 1895-1968.
Corporate Author: Ohio Chemical & Manufacturing Company.
Publisher: Cleveland, Ohio : Ohio Chemical & Manufacturing Company, [1942-1946].
Physical Description: 1 respiratory device in box : metals, plastics, rubber ; 16 x 17.5 x 17 cm.
Subject: Resuscitation – instrumentation.
Subject: Respiration, Artificial – instrumentation.
Web Link: http://woodlibrarymuseum.org/museum/item/681/kreiselman-resuscitator
Note Type: General
Notes: The early year in the date range for the possible year of manufacture for this Resuscitator is based on the date that Dr. Kreiselman filed for a patent, April 10, 1943. The late year (1946) in the date range for the possible year of manufacture is roughly based on the year that Ohio Chemical & Manufacturing moved its headquarters to Madison, Wisconsin. This date was provided by the company on a marble or granite plaque that was once displayed at the Datex-Ohmeda museum. The plaque was titled “The Evolution at Datex-Ohmeda”. This date is also provided by a newspaper article and a website titled, “Historic Madison”.
Note Type: Citation
Notes: Gordon AS, Raymon F, Sadov M, Ivy AC. Manual artificial respiration: comparison of effectiveness of various methods on apneic normal adults. J Am Med Assoc. 1950;144(17):1447–1452.
Note Type: Citation
Notes: Hyman AI. History of resuscitation of newborn infants. In: Rupreht J, Van Lieburg MJ, Lee JA, Erdmann W, eds. Anaesthesia: Essays on Its History. Berlin: Springer-Verlag; 1985.
Note Type: Citation
Notes: Joseph Kreiselman, physician, 73, dead. New York Times. October 23, 1968:47.
Note Type: Citation
Notes: Kreiselman J. An improved apparatus for treating asphyxia of the newborn infant. Am J Obstet Gyn. 1940;39:888–890.
Note Type: Citation
Notes: Kreiselman J. A new resuscitation apparatus. Anesthesiology. 1943;4(6):608-611.
Note Type: Citation
Notes: Kreiselman J. Resuscitator. US patent 2,399,643. May 7, 1946.
Note Type: Citation
Notes: Kreiselman Resuscitator Model No. 110: directions [product insert]. Cleveland, Ohio: Ohio Chemical & Mfg. Co.; [1942-1946?].
Note Type: Citation
Notes: Swope RB, Kreiselman J. Pressure indicating and relief device. US patent 1,848,233. March 8, 1932.
Note Type: Citation
Notes: Swope RB, Kreiselman J. Resuscitation apparatus. US patent 1,848,234. March 8, 1932.
Note Type: Citation
Notes: Swope RB, Kreiselman J. Resuscitation and artificial respiration apparatus. US patent 1,848,232. March 8, 1932.
Note Type: Citation
Notes: Tour 1. Historic Madison, Inc. of Wisconsin website. http://www.historicmadison.org/Madison%27s%20Past/Places/Walking%20Tours/IndustrialTour1.html. Published 2013. Accessed September 12, 2013.
Note Type: Physical Description
Notes: One plastic and metal box containing a respiratory resuscitation device; The box is pained army green and the metal corners black; the lid is hinged and closes with a latch; The bellows when compressed 15 x 15 x 12.5 cm (this is without the curved mask extension); When well extended the depth is approximately 22.5 cm.; The end of the bellows has a textile strap for the hand; Printed on the end of the bellows is “U.S. ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT”, and “KREISELMAN [new line] RESUSCITATOR MODEL 110 [new line] MADE BY [new line] THE OHIO CHEMICAL & MFG. CO. [new line] CLEVELAND, OHIO. [new line] PAT. APPL’D FOR. MADE IN U.S.A.”; The mask extension measures approximately 5.5 x 9 x 8 cm.; The black rubber mask measures approximately 12.5 x 9 x 9 cm; The oral airway that is indicated in the included instructional card is not in the box; Inside the box is a worn and torn sticker for the Heidbrink Division Of The Ohio Chemical And Manufacturing Company.
Note Type: Reproduction
Notes: Photographed by Mr. Steve Donisch, June 13, 2013.
Note Type: Historical
Notes: The Kreiselman Resuscitator was developed in the early 1940s, about 15 years before mouth-to-mouth breathing became the accepted practice. ‘Manual methods’ of artificial breathing where still in use, which included procedures such as the “Schaefer Method” in which pressure was repeatedly applied to the patient’s lower back and released. Another example would be the “Push-Pull” method in which the patient’s arms were pulled above the head and then pressure was applied to the chest or upper back.
Note Type: Historical
Notes: Dr. Joseph Kreiselman (1895-1968), an anesthesiologist, began pioneering work in resuscitation during the 1920s. He had already developed equipment for the resuscitation of newborn infants when he designed the Resuscitator. Kreiselman believed that the manual methods of artificial respiration were ineffective, and that blowing air into the lungs intermittently produced better results. He described the Resuscitator as a light and simple device that was easy to use and inexpensive enough to be made widely available for lay-rescuers as well as medical personnel.
Note Type: Historical
Notes: Valves in the device ensured that only fresh air was delivered to the patient, as opposed to exhaled air from under the mask. Oxygen could be delivered into the bellows through an inlet-valve. A safety-relief valve ensured that the artificial breaths were delivered to the patient at forces below 20 millimeters of mercury. The volume was controlled by the operator of the device, who was taught to compress the bellows only until the chest rose or the pressure-relief valve vented air. The Kreiselman Resuscitators made by the Ohio Chemical & Manufacturing Company, like the one described here, came in a light but sturdy box with a mask, oral airway, an attachment for adjusting the angle of the mask if needed, and a sturdy card with directions for use.
Note Type: Historical
Notes: The Kreiselman Resuscitator was used by the U.S. military during World War II and by US civilians into the 1960s, when it was replaced by mouth-to-mouth artificial breathing and self-inflating breathing bags, such as the Ambu-bag.
Note Type: Publication
Notes: Glover DW. Model No. 110 Kreiselman Resuscitator. Respir Care. 1977;22(2):203.
Note Type: Publication
Notes: Kilduff CJ. Resuscitation of the newborn. Can Fam Physician. 1975;21(5):71-74. [Discusses the Kreiselman
resuscitation unit still in use.]
Note Type: Publication
Notes: Kreiselman J. Bassinet organization. US patent 2,366,630. January 2, 1945.
Note Type: Publication
Notes: Kreiselman J, Kane H, Swope R. A new apparatus for resuscitation of asphyxiated newborn babies. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1928;15:552.
Note Type: Publication
Notes: Kreiselman J. The treatment of asphyxia for infants and adults. Surg Equip. 1948; 15(3):5-8.
Note Type: Publication
Notes: Kreiselman Resuscitator. The Virtual EMS Museum website. http://www.emsmuseum.org/virtual-museum/equipment/articles/399513-Kreiselman-Resuscitator. Revised February 6, 2011. Accessed November 26, 2013. [Provides images to a resuscitator box and its contents made by The Ohio Chemical & Surgical Equipment Co. in Madison, Wisconsin.]
Note Type: Publication
Notes: Preparations and appliances: a portable resuscitator. Br Med J. March 26, 1949;1(4603):541.
Note Type: Exhibition
Notes: Chosen for the WLM website.
