X-Ray Tube
date: label: associated dates
content: 1978 02
notes: label: Description
content: Cold cathode glass x-ray tube with auto gas regulation designed by Henry Granger Piffard (1842-1910), one of the first American dermatologists, author of the first systematic American treatise on dermatology, and the first to use x-rays to treat skin diseases. Piffard called it a "safety" tube because it had thick lead glass walls that would reduce exposure to the operator. The "M E S" inscription is that of E. Machlett & Son of New York City.
label: Description
content: Ernst Machlett was a German glassblower who executed a large contract for Eimer & Amend, a scientific supply house in New York City. Eimer found this workmanship so impressive that he went traveled to Germany to persuade Machlett to take charge of the laboratory glassware operation for the American firm. Ernst Machlett and his children arrived in New York in 1883. In 1885, Ernst Machlett took his son Robert back to Germany, for two years of apprenticeship and study in a technical school. The two men returned to New York in 1887, and to work for Eimer & Amend. In 1897, they established their own firm, E. Machlett & Son, also in New York. The firm became Machlett Laboratories in 1934 and moved to Stamford, Ct.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, New York City
label: Associated Place
content: United States: New York, New York City
label: associated place
content: United States: Rhode Island, East Providence, Rumford
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Medicine
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Philip Batchelder, M.D.
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1978.0121.04
label: catalog number
content: 1978.0121.04
label: accession number
content: 1978.0121
objectType: label: Object Name
content: X-Ray Tube
label: Object Name
content: tube, x-ray
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: glass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: paint (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: copper (overall color)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 12 cm x 40.5 cm x 8.5 cm; 4 3/4 in x 15 15/16 in x 3 3/8 in