An emergency pocket drug case of the 1940s.
OBJECTIVE
A description is given of an emergency box dating from about 1940. Its compact and portable nature, and certain of its contents, while throwing light on the working conditions of the times, raised a question as to its purpose and provenance.
The main contents-the box and its contents are described, and the possible use of its constituents is considered. The drugs fall into five main groups: anaesthetic premedicants, medullary stimulants, vasoconstrictors, cardiac stimulants and drugs acting on the uterus. It is suggested that their primary purpose was for emergency obstetric use.


CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded that the most probable purpose was for use by the obstetric 'Flying squad.' A brief account of the constitution of such a squad, and its method of working, is given.
Rao
J J
JJ
Department of Anaesthesia, South Tees NHS Acute Hospitals Trust, Middlesbrough, UK.
Welsh
B E
BE
D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000266:history*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D009774:Obstetrics