Collections Corner: Playing Doctor

Most of us remember playing doctor or nurse to an injured doll or teddy bear. When I was a child my Cabbage Patch doll often fell ill and my sisters and I nursed her back to health using a Fisher-Price Medical Kit. Developed over thirty years ago, this toy has stood the test of time [...]

Collections Corner: May I Pre-chew that for you, Sir?

Our teeth are an essential part of our daily lives – we use them to do things like eat and form our words. How healthy are your teeth? Today, there are many things we can do to protect our teeth – brush twice a day, floss and visit your friendly neighbourhood dentist every six months. [...]

Collections Corner: Waterloo Teeth

Have you ever thought about where dentures come from? Archaeologists have found evidence of denture use dating back to 700 BCE and there have been many manifestations since, but their purpose has never really changed. Dentures were, and still are, used to replace teeth for both functional and aesthetic purposes. Early dentures were carved out [...]

Collections Corner: Electrostatic Generator

In 2006 the Museum of Health Care received this fascinating artefact donation from Elizabeth McMahon, the granddaughter of Dr. Frank Mellow who used the machine in his home office in Uxbridge, Ontario. The machine generated an electrical charge with the turn of a crank and could be used with various instruments for electrotherapy or to produce [...]