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THE VAPO-CRESOLENE LAMP: FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSE The Vapo - Cresolene Company was established in 1879. The company had offices in New York City, first at 180 Fulton Street and then an office at 62 Corland street. They also had an office in Montreal, Canada at the Leeming Building 1651 Notre Dame Street. The company production facility was located in Chatham, New Jersey. The company survived into the 1950s. The later unit used electricity for the heat source. The Vapo- Cresolene lamp was first patented by Elias H. Carpenter for the volatilzing Cresylic Acids. He received the patent on Sept 27, 1881. The patent was assigned to James H. Valentine and George Shepard Page. Cresolene is a by-product of coal tar. George Shepard Page noticed that this by-product was good for destroying germs and disinfecting. He started to capitalize from a waste product. He would market this product thought out the United States and abroad. These lamps would vaporize the Cresylic Acid. Many of the poison bottles contained Cresylic Acid. Vapo- Cresolene was used to cure or considerably alleviate diseases of the respiratory system and the throat such as whooping cough, asthma, diphtheria and scarlet fever. It was also used to sanitize "sick rooms" or where bacteria lurked. Below are some pictures of the lamps and bottles.  .From 1901 . .............  References: www.thelampworks.com Frank & Frank Jr. (Wicker) Bottle Collection.  |
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