The Schimmelbusch mask is an open breathing system for delivering an

anesthetic An anesthetic (American English) or anaesthetic (British English; see spelling differences) is a drug used to induce anesthesia ⁠— ⁠in other words, to result in a temporary loss of sensation or awareness. They may be divided into two ...

. The device was invented by

Curt Schimmelbusch Curt Theodor Schimmelbusch (16 November 1860 – 2 August 1895) was a German physician and pathologist who invented the Schimmelbusch mask, for the safe delivery of anaesthetics to surgical patients. He was also a key figure in the development of ...

in 1889, and was used until the 1950s (though it is still applied in some

developing countries A developing country is a sovereign state with a lesser developed industrial base and a lower Human Development Index (HDI) relative to other countries. However, this definition is not universally agreed upon. There is also no clear agreem ...

). The device consists of a wire frame which is covered with several beds of gauze and applied to the patient's face over the mouth and nose. Then high-volatility anesthetic (usually

diethyl ether Diethyl ether, or simply ether, is an organic compound in the ether class with the formula , sometimes abbreviated as (see Pseudoelement symbols). It is a colourless, highly volatile, sweet-smelling ("ethereal odour"), extremely flammable li ...

halothane Halothane, sold under the brand name Fluothane among others, is a general anaesthetic. It can be used to induce or maintain anaesthesia. One of its benefits is that it does not increase the production of saliva, which can be particularly useful i ...

, and historically chloroform) is dripped on it, allowing the patient to inhale a mix of the evaporated anesthetic and air. The device is designed to prevent the anesthetic from coming in contact with the patient's skin, where it can cause irritation.

References

{{reflist Anesthetic equipment