Furniss Inhaler

Henry Dawson Furniss, M.D. (1878-1942) held appointments in surgery and gynecology at what is now the New York University School of Medicine from 1904 through 1927. He also served as a consultant to hospitals in New York City and surrounding communities. Dr. Furniss invented several medical instruments, including the Furniss Gas and Ether Inhaler. In the 1920s, he also advocated the use of the local anesthetic, urea hydrochloride and quinine, for urologic surgery.

Inhalation anesthesia devices for administering nitrous oxide together with ether were introduced in the 1870s. One of the first hand-held inhalers for combined nitrous oxide and ether was introduced in 1900 by Thomas L. Bennett, M.D. Two years later, James T. Gwathmey, M.D. (1853-1944) introduced his own gas-and-ether inhaler. The Furniss inhaler, a modification of Gwathmey's inhaler, was on the market by 1905. All three physicians practiced in New York City, and all three inhalers were made by the New York instrument manufacturer, Kny-Scheerer. The example shown here lacks the elbow connector that would have held a rubber rebreathing bag. The mask shows the residue left by the rubber rim cushion.