N.A.D. Subcompact

WLMD ID: aqsx

North American Dräger (NAD) was founded in 1968 by engineer Peter J. Schreiber and two partners in rural Telford, Pennsylvania, with financial backing from the West German company, Dräger. Before immigrating to the U.S. in 1966, Schreiber designed anesthesia equipment for Dräger. The first products made by NAD were veterinary anesthesia machines. NAD also sold equipment made by Dräger, and incorporated some Dräger parts in its own equipment. NAD made machines for clinical anesthesia from 1972 through the mid-2000s, when it merged with the parent company.

NAD introduced its fourth clinical machine, the Narkomed Subcompact, in 1981. Like the Compact model, introduced six years earlier, it came with a carbon dioxide absorber (lacking in this example), and could administer only two gases, nitrous oxide and oxygen. The two models differed in the optional components that were available. The Subcompact did not have the option to add a ventilator.  Its options did include oxygen, respiratory and pressure monitors, as well as an interface that could connect the machine to a gas scavenger. The example shown here is equipped with an enflurane vaporizer and an oxygen monitor.

Catalog Record: N.A.D. Subcompact NAD sub-compact

Access Key: aqsx

Accession No.: 2014-02-15-1 B

Title: North American Dräger sub-compact.

Corporate Author: North American Dräger.

Publisher: Telford, Pennsylvania : North American Dräger, [between ca. 1975 and ca. 1985].

Physical Description: 1 anesthesia machine : metals, plastics, glass, rubber ; 126 x 75.5 x 52.5 cm.

Subject: Anesthesia, Inhalation – instrumentation.
Subject: Anesthesia Machines.
Subject: Enflurane.
Subject: Nitrous Oxide.
Subject: Oxygen.

Note Type: General
Notes: Described from the user’s perspective, with the gauges facing forward.

Note Type: General
Notes: The range of possible dates of manufacture is based on the manufacturer’s product literature.

Note Type: Citation
Notes: North American Dräger Company File. Archives: Located at: Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology, Schaumburg, Illinois.

Note Type: Physical Description
Notes: One anesthesia machine; Consists of a frame with two upright poles, mounted on four wheels; That pole on the left holds a carbon dioxide absorber component; The absorber itself is not present; This component is mounted in a “T” configuration near the foot of the pole; The crossbar piece bears two labels; The first label reads: “FOLLOW CLEANING [new line] PROCEDURES DESCRIBED [new line] IN INSTRUCTION MANUAL”; The second label reads: “NORTH AMERICAN DRÄGER [new line] 148 B QUARRY ROAD [new line] TELFORD PA 18969 USA [new line] MODEL WGES [new line] SER. NO. 4560”; A black rubber rebreathing bag is attached at the bottom of this component;

A bank of components is mounted at the top of that pole on the right; This houses, from left to right, one nitrous oxide flowmeter with a nitrous oxide pressure gauge beneath it, one oxygen flowmeter with an oxygen pressure gauge beneath it, and a connection for one vaporizer; The latter holds a Dräger Vapor 19.1 enflurane vaporizer; This vaporizer is marked with the serial number “14713”; Below the vaporizer, a label and two components are mounted on the front of the housing; The label plate reads: “SUB-COMPACT [new line] NORTH AMERICAN DRÄGER”; below this are mounted an oxygen flush button and a black metal handle;

An oxygen monitor is mounted on the right-hand wall of this housing; The bottom of this monitor is marked: “Model: 04026-03 [new line] 402 Lo Alarm O2 Monitor [new line] Power Source: 3 each 4.05 V Mercury batteries [new line] Serial No.: 8110329 [new line] For In Vitro Diagnostic Use [new line] North American Dräger [new line] 148 B Quarry Road [new line] Telford, PA USA [new line] Made in USA”;

On the back and near the foot of this housing are mounted one nitrous oxide cylinder yoke and one oxygen cylinder yoke; The back of the frame holds a brace shaped to hold two cylinders; On the back of that pole on the right a label plate reads: “NORTH AMERICAN DRÄGER [new line] 148 B Quarry Road [new line] TELFORD, PA 18969 USA [new line] MODEL SC-V [new line] SER. NO. 10137”.

Note Type: Reproduction
Notes: Photographed by Mr. Steve Donisch, January 17, 2018.

Note Type: Acquisition
Notes: Gift of Mr. James Yoder.

Note Type: Historical
Notes: North American Dräger (NAD) was founded in 1968 by engineer Peter J. Schreiber and two partners in rural Telford, Pennsylvania, with financial backing from the West German company, Dräger. Before immigrating to the U.S. in 1966, Schreiber designed anesthesia equipment for Dräger. The first products made by NAD were veterinary anesthesia machines. NAD also sold equipment made by Dräger, and incorporated some Dräger parts in its own equipment. NAD made machines for clinical anesthesia from 1972 through the mid-2000s, when it merged with the parent company.

NAD introduced its fourth clinical machine, the Narkomed Subcompact, in 1981.Like the Compact model, introduced six years earlier, it came with a carbon dioxide absorber (lacking in this example), and could administer only two gases, nitrous oxide and oxygen. The two models differed in the optional components that were available. The Subcompact could add only one liquid agent vaporizer. It did not have the option to add a ventilator. Its options included oxygen, respiratory and pressure monitors, as well as an interface that could connect the machine to a gas scavenger. The example shown here is equipped with an enflurane vaporizer and an oxygen monitor.

Note Type: Exhibition
Notes: Selected for the WLM website.