A history of injection treatments – I the syringe

Abstract

Introduction The syringe has become an indispensable instrument for many aspects of interventional medicine and everyday practice. Methods To trace the evolution of the syringe from ancient times to the present, using the internet for past documentation and the literature. Conclusion The syringe has long been used for aspiration, irrigation and infusion. This developed into injections for early transfusion, anaesthesia and surgical procedures including venous sclerotherapy. Syringes have been adapted for use to inject specific drugs.

Historical Surgical Treatments in Polish Veterinary Medicine

“…Intravenous injections were described as particularly complicated and dangerous operations [ 12 ]. Although the first experiments with intravenous administration of various substances including blood, wine, milk and herbal extracts were performed in the 17th century [ 28 ], the first descriptions of this treatment in Polish veterinary medicine are from the 19th century. Ostrowski, in “Practical veterinary surgery” (1845), noted that intravenous drug administration may be done only in cases in which oral or anal administration of medicines is not possible (for example, during strong muscle spasms) or in emergencies when drugs must act quickly [ 12 ].…”

“…The second type of injections used in old Polish veterinary medicine were subcutaneous injections. They were commonly used in the second half of the 19th century after the invention of the “modern” syringe with a glass barrel and sharp needle by Charles Gabriel Pravaz from 1841–1853 [ 28 ]. A wide range of substances were given subcutaneously.…”

Oddities in the Evolution of Syringes in Anesthesia

“…[1][2][3] Syringes became a growing area of interest for doctors because the intravenous (IV) route produced more rapid and more precise clinical effects than oral administration. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] Many doctors ordered their own "Named" (eg, Pravaz, Labat, and Pitkin) syringes, which were handmade by manufacturers in limited edition to each doctor's idiosyncratic specifications.…”

“…Earlier publications focused on the long history of syringes and their development over time, but there is a paucity in the literature of modifications, some useful and some less so, to syringes. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] In selecting syringes eligible for this article, we searched the medical literature, consulted numerous medical museum collections, and checked websites and catalogs, with a focus on "anesthesia" syringes at the turn of the 20th century when a fledgling anesthesia practice was emerging as a viable specialty. However, we did not go beyond the mid-20th century when safer and more comfortable plastics became widespread for most mass-produced single-use syringes.…”