Shriners Hospital Patient Isolation Unit Records
name: label: Donor
content: Shriners Hospital for Children (Cincinnati, Ohio)
label: Creator
content: Maley, Matthew
label: Donor
content: Hitzler, Ron
topic: label: Topic
content: Isolation (Hospital care)
label: Topic
content: Burn care units
label: Topic
content: Hospitals
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: This collection was donated by Ron Hitzler, 2008.
creator: label: Donor
content: Shriners Hospital for Children (Cincinnati, Ohio)
label: Creator
content: Maley, Matthew
setName: label: See more items in
content: Shriners Hospital Patient Isolation Unit Records
abstract: label: Summary
content: Collection documents the development, study, and evaluation of gnotobiotic or germ-free patient isolation. During the 1960s, Shriners Burn Unit in Cincinnati, Ohio modified a previously existing unit, the Life Island (Mark V) and subsequently developed their own germ free unit, the Snyder Unit. One of the main developers of the Snyder Unit was Dr. Matthew Maley of Shriners Hospital. Collection includes correspondence, notes, reports, drawings, photographs, journal articles and trade literature.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: In 1966, Shriners Burns Institute of Cincinnati, Ohio, (now known as the Shriners Hospital for Children) purchased a Life Island (Mark V) patient isolation system or germ free unit and made modifications to it. In 1967, the Shriners Burns Institute began working with the Snyder Manufacturing Company to create their own germ free unit, named the Snyder Unit. This project had several collaborators including Dr. Matthew Maley, Dr. P.C. Trexler, and Dr. Bruce MacMillan. The Snyder Unit was tested from 1967 to 1972.  It was used for about a year before the doctors working on the project realized that a smaller and simpler unit named with the acronym, CRS, was more efficient economically and health-wise. While the CRS was not a "bubble" isolation unit like the Life Island or the Synder Unit, it was still considered an isolation unit and soon replaced both the modified Life Island and the Synder Unit which was retired in 1980.

The Synder Unit was also studied to determine if it could be used for cancer patients or patients taking immunosuppressant drugs. Tests proved that while the Synder Unit did help a few cancer patients, the results were not significant enough for its use for patients with weakened immune systems.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 0.75 Cubic feet (2 boxes )
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1956-1981
label: Date
content: bulk 1969-1972
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.1142
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Specifications
label: Type
content: Reports
label: Type
content: Reprints
label: Type
content: Trade literature
label: Type
content: Design drawings
label: Type
content: Photographs
label: Type
content: Articles
label: Type
content: Technical drawings
label: Type
content: Technical reports
label: Type
content: Laboratory notes
label: Type
content: Correspondence
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The records are arranged into two series.

Series 1, Patient Isolation Unit Materials, 1966-1972

Series 2, Gnotobiotics Research, 1956-1981
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Processed by Laura Fielding (intern), January, 2009; supervised by Alison Oswald, archivist.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Specifications
label: Genre/Form
content: Reports -- 1950-1980
label: Genre/Form
content: Reprints
label: Genre/Form
content: Trade literature
label: Genre/Form
content: Design drawings
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Articles -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Technical drawings
label: Genre/Form
content: Technical reports
label: Genre/Form
content: Laboratory notes
label: Genre/Form
content: Correspondence -- 20th century
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The Shriners Hospital Patient Isolation Unit Records consist of approximately .75 cubic feet and document the development and testing of the Synder Unit.

While the majority of the documentation is for the Synder Unit, there are articles and speeches from symposia held on gnotobiotics or the study of germ free living.  These articles and speeches range from dealing with burn victims and cancer patients to the toxicity of certain germs to the sustainability of germ free animals.
separatedmaterial: label: Separated Materials
content: The Division of Medicine and Science holds a Snyder Isolator (prototype) and Life Island Isolator Mark V unit (Accession #: 1980.0187).