Fluothane®

Brigham and Women's Hospital Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine collection.

Fluothane^® Vaporizer, circa 1950s

This variable bypass vaporizer was the first to allow the anesthetist to directly set the percentage of anesthetic agent with a dial, thus eliminating the math associated with using the Copper Kettle. The British Cyprane Company produced the Fluotec^® vaporizer (commercial name Fluothane^®) in the late 1950s to be used exclusively with the newly discovered anesthetic Halothane. Ayerst Laboratories, purveyor of Halothane, assured the widespread acceptance of the Fluotec^® by offering it free with a minimum purchase of Halothane. The Boyle Bottle and the Ohio No. 8 quickly became obsolete and use of the Copper Kettle soon faded.