Wetaskiwin District Heritage Museum Centre & City of Wetaskiwin Archives

The Heritage Museum has reopened for visitors to indulge in the history of Wetaskiwin and area! Artifacts such as this autoclave, an instrument sterilizer, are on display for viewing. This electric unit could be plugged in to sterilize doctor’s instruments with heat and steam. The elevated temperature and pressure targets microorganisms, spores, and viruses, ensuring safe use of various tools. The prototype to the autoclave was created in 1679 by Denis Papin who described his invention as a steam digester—its descendant remains in cooking as the pressure cooker. The autoclave would later be re-invented for medical and scientific use by Charles Chamberland in 1879. Chamberland was a microbiologist who worked with Louis Pasteur in Paris. During the late 19^th century, sterilization through heat and steam replaced previously used methods of chemical cleansing. Prior to the sterilization of medical instruments, the tools had the potential to transmit diseases from one patient to another. Autoclaves can be found in a number of settings such as hospitals, laboratories, and other places that require the complete sterility of objects. The museum welcomes you to come check out this artifact on the second floor of the Heritage Museum!