| Description | The faux-brown leather cardboard case features gold ink lettering that reads "Sparklet Pocket CO2 Snow Outfit."
Upon opening, the case reveals two informational leaflets and three compartmentalised sections, each carefully designed to securely hold the components of the Sparklet apparatus.
In one of the compartments, a refill bulb is stored, labelled as being manufactured by Sparklets Ltd.
The apparatus consists of a metal cylinder labelled “SPARKLET HOLDERS J SIZE,” which serves as a holder for the carbon dioxide bulb. The bulb is a pressurised container of carbon dioxide, vital for producing CO2 snow.
An assembly made of ebonite and metal, comprising an ebonite cap and a metal adaptor, attaches to the holder. This assembly screws securely into place, creating a sealed chamber.
By applying downward pressure to the mechanism, the bulb is pierced, releasing its contents to generate CO2 snow within the chamber.
A mould made of metal and ebonite is then inserted into the chamber to compress the CO2 snow. Once a removable lid (now missing) is taken off, the solidly compressed snow stick can be extracted from the device.
The accompanying leaflets provide detailed instructions for the apparatus’s assembly and operation, emphasising its innovative design for producing CO2 snow in a highly portable and compact form.
Manufactured by Sparklets Ltd, this instrument was used in dermatology to treat naevi, lupus, warts, moles, rodent ulcers, and other skin blemishes through cryotherapy.
Today, modern cryosurgery instruments use liquid nitrogen instead of carbon dioxide for freezing tissue.
This instrument was of Dr. Geoffry Bewely and donated by Dr. Mary Bewely in 1995. |