Hypodermic case : Major I A Wilson, 10 Field Ambulance Accession Number: REL35290

Description

Metal case with press button release lid and removable end section. The top of the box is marked with a passant unicorn. Below this is 'TRADE 'TABLOID' MARK / BRAND / HYPODERMIC CASE / No. 20' Along the front edge is 'BURROUGHS WELLCOME & Co. LONDON (ENG.) BERLIN NEW YORK MONTREAL / SYDNEY CAPE TOWN MILAN / SHANGHAI'. One end of the case, either side of the release button, is impressed 'MADE IN BERLIN Rd. No. 537902' . The inside of the box itself is divided into two compartments. Under the lid are four sections to hold hypodermic needles with one needle still present. The slide-out compartment contains three small tubes of medicine and a glass vial which are secured in place with a folding metal retainer.

2 glass vials are labled "Strychnine Sulphate" and "Ergotinine Citrate"both made by 'Bourroughs Wellcome, Tabloid Brand'. The third vial contains an unknown compound (the lable is illegible).
Strychnine Sulphate is a colorless crystalline alkaloid used as a pesticide, particularly for killing small vertebrates such as birds and rodents. Strychnine causes muscular convulsions and eventually death through asphyxia or sheer exhaustion (http://www.ask.com/wiki/Strychnine_sulfate and http://jr.chemwatch.net/chemgold3/?X)
Ergotinine citrate is "mixture of ergocorninine; ergocristinine; ergocryptinine". The mixture of naturally occurring ergot alkaloids formerly used in the treatment of migrain and as a oxytocic (the esylate). (http://jr.chemwatch.net/chemgold3/?X) (see attached hazard record 10/9/2020).

Contextual Description

VX104013 Major Ian Arthur Wilson was born on 31 May 1915 in Melbourne, Victoria. He was a medical practitioner and already serving part-time as a captain in the militia when he entered full-time service with the CMF on 18 December 1941, with the 10th Australian Field Ambulance. On 22 July 1942 he enlisted in the AIF, remaining attached to the same unit.

Wilson spent just over a week at the School of Tropical Medicine at the University of Sydney at the beginning of October 1942. By the end of the month he had embarked for Port Moresby from Brisbane. Wilson spent almost a year on his first tour to New Guinea. During this time he had several bouts of sickness. He was eventually withdrawn to Australia in October 1943.

Wilson arrived back in Victoria and went on leave. After spending time as a Medical Officer (MO) at various units he became the MO at Headquarters (HQ) of the 1st Australian Corps on the 24 December 1943. On April 12 he was appointed MO at the HQ of 2nd Australian Corps and returned to New Guinea, arriving in Lae at the beginning of May 1944.

Wilson spent just over eight months in New Guinea, returning to Australia at the beginning of 1945. During this time he was posted to several units including the 106th Australian General Hospital. After returning to Australian Wilson served at 115th Australian General Hospital at Heidelberg, in Melbourne, and at the Leave and Transport Depot, Victorian Lines of Communication, where he supervised final medical examinations for men being discharged from wartime service. Wilson was discharged on 18 April 1946.