Oxygen Enclosures

Images of oxygen tents are featured in this section.

An early oxygen tent from the 1920s is shown.

An oxygen tent from 1932 is shown.

A pediatric oxygen tent is shown in this photo from 1932.

An adult oxygen tent is shown in this 1932 photo.

This 1934 ad from Simplified Oxygen Services in Chicago, Illinois promoted tents that used dry ice for cooling.

An adult oxygen tent from 1934 is shown.

This photo from the 1930s shows an oxygen tent used in the treatment of a premature infant at Boston Children's Hospital.

An adult oxygen tent from the 1940s is shown.

The John Bunn Company from Buffalo, New York manufactured oxygen tents. This 1956 ad promoted their refrigomatic model that could be used with Alevaire and could "produce 100% oxygen."

This photo from April 1950 shows an adult oxygen tent. Note that the patient's room has piped in oxygen and the canopy has a 'no smoking-oxygen in use" sign.

The OEM Mechanette Pediatric Tent was used between 1956 and 1964.

The components of an OEM Mechanette oxygen tent are pictured.

The Air-Shields Croupette used ice to lower the temperature in the canopy. This ad appeared in an early issue of the INHALATION THERAPY journal.

This ad for the "ice-free" OEM Mechanette pediatric oxygen tent appeared in a 1960s issue of the INHALATION THERAPY journal.

The Mistogen CAM (Child Adult Mist) tents were introduced in the 1960s. The refrigeration unit pumped cooled water through a panel at the head of the bed. A large volume nebulizer attached to the panel to nebulize prescribed solutions into the canopy enclosure.

L. R. Cameto’s 1967 Patent for "Oxygen Tent Atmospheric Conditioning Apparatus".

Warning labels were affixed to pediatric canopies to warn visitors to get approval to ensure toys were safe to be placed inside the canopy enclosure.

An Ohio 360 Pediatric tent is shown fully assembled.

Oxygen chambers designed to introduce increased FIO2 into an entire room, not just into a canopy, are featured in this section.

The schematic for J.F. Hanrahan’s 1930 Patent is shown for the "Oxygen Chamber".

Two options for oxygen circulation in an oxygen chamber are shown in these drawings from 1936.

Several examples of oxygen hoods are shown in this section.

A non-disposable, clear chamber enclosed only the patient's head to deliver supplemental oxygen. The unit had a top portal that could open for direct access to the patient.

C. J. Lamberteen’s "Hood for Oxygen Therapy" was granted a patent in 1947.

An oxygen hood is shown is use on a premie within an Isolette in this 1960s photo.

A controlled oxygen enriched environment is delivered to a newborn via an oxygen hood.

A respiratory therapist is shown monitoring an infant with an oxygen hood in this photo from 1995.

An infant oxygen hood, the DisposaHood by Utah Medial Products, from the 1990s is shown.

An oxyhood is shown in use on an infant hospitalized in a Level II Nursery in this 1995 photo.

Hyperbaric oxygen chambers are featured in this section.

One of the earliest hyperbaric chambers in the world was developed at New York's Mt. Sinai Hospital and is shown in this 1924 photo.

Dr. Orval J. Cunningham opened this large hyperbaric chamber in 1928 in Cleveland, Ohio. Known as the Cunningham Sanitarium, this large million dollar, multi-place hyperbaric chamber could accommodate 40 patients. After the stock market crash in 1929, the facility struggled financially and eventually closed. In 1942, the U.S. War Production Office ordered the metal structure to be dismantled and scrapped to support the war efforts.

The Cunningham multi-place hyperbaric facility in Cleveland, Ohio is shown on the far right. It is identified as an oxygen sanitarium on this postcard.

This large hyperbaric chamber from the 1930s allowed for multiple patients to be treated at the same time in the home-like setting.

This ad for Linde's mobile hyperbaric chamber appeared in a 1960s issue of the INHALATION THERAPY journal.

Topical oxygen therapy encompasses an airtight bag sealed around the wounded surface of a limb and high flow oxygen is fed into the bag flowing over the wound. Oxygen is provided to the surface of the wound by diffusion.
Topical oxygen is sometimes labeled as topical hyperbaric oxygen therapy, but this is incorrect. In hyperbaric oxygen, the entire body is exposed to supra-atmospheric pressure and the patient is exposed to increased oxygen pressure by ventilation--thus the increased oxygen pressure is delivered to the wound by perfusion. In topical oxygen therapy, the oxygen is provided to the surface of the wound, and oxygen is delivered to the wound by diffusion at the skin's surface. The mechanisms of oxygen delivery are thus completely different. Advocates for this type of therapy cite decreased costs and increased safety for its usage over hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Since neither CMS nor private payers reimburse for this therapy it has fallen into relative disuse.
This ad appeared in a 1960s issue of the INHALATION THERAPY journal.

A Perry dual place, hyperbaric chamber from 1987 is shown.

A Sechrist monoplace hyperbaric chamber is shown in this photo from the 1990s.

A variety of Incubators are featured in this section.

Prior to caring for premature infants in the 1940s, anyone who entered the Premature Station were required to wear a cap, mask, and gown. This photo is from the archives of OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois.

This photo from the archives of OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois shows cubicle incubators that were used in the early Premature Station in Peoria, Illinois.

This 1940s photo from the archives of OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois shows a premature infant in a Clark incubator.

This photo from the 1940s Premature Center at St. Francis Hospital in Peoria, Illinois shows an infant in a Clark incubator.

A premature infant in a 1950s Davidson incubator is shown in this photo from the archives of OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois .

J.L. Pragel’s Patent for a "Portable Infant Incubator" was awarded in 1949.

A 1950s Pragel portable incubator is shown in this photo.

The interior of a Pragel incubator is shown.

This 1951 photo shows an incubator and supply cart in the premature center at St. Francis Hospital, Peoria, Illinois.

In this photo from 1951, incubators in the premature center in Peoria, Illinois are shown.

This ad for the Bunn Baby's Haven appeared in the December 1959 issue of the Inhalation Therapy journal. The Baby's Haven was the first stainless steel incubator.

In June 1951, Gordon Armstrong et al applied for a patent for an "explosion proof baby incubator." The patent was awarded on April 19, 1955.

This 1960s photo from the archives of OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois in Peoria, Illinois shows staff caring for premature infants in Armstrong incubators.

Some early models of incubators only allowed access to the infant by lifting the lid of the enclosure. This photo from the archives of OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois, shows two incubators with the lids lifted open to allow staff access to the infants.

The Neonatal Critical Care Unit in Peoria, Illinois is shown in this 1960s photos from OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois.

This photo from the archives of OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois shows a physician examining a premie in an incubator.

This 1960s photo shows an early NICU room filled with incubators at OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois in Peoria, Illinois.

In this 1960s photo from the archives of OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois, the transport by ambulance of two premature infants in portable incubators is shown.

In this early 1970s photo from the archives of OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois in Peoria, Illinois, a staff member in the Neonatal Center is shown monitoring the oxygen concentration in the Isolette.

In this 1970s photo from the archives of OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois, a nurse is shown weighing an infant within an Isolette.

In this 1960s photo from the archives of OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois, a nurse provides care to a premie in an Isolette.

In this 1970s photo from the archives of OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois, a staff member is shown cleaning an Isolette.

This ad for the Ohio Intensive Care Transport Incubator appeared in the December 1970 issue of the INHALATION THERAPY journal.

A 4 pound infant is shown in an Isolette incubator in this 1982 photo.

A premie is shown in an Isolette incubator in this 1995 photo.

Please contact us if you have photos to contribute to this gallery.