GREAT FIND: VERNAID BANDAGE DATED TO 1925 ILLUSTRATING USES FOR BANDAGE

 

Carrying the registered design number 710438 it dates this example to 1925, but the first 'Vernaid Bandage' design endorsed by Sir James Cantlie was probably pre-First World War in origin. The reason for the name 'Vernaid' is not known - was the manufacturer Vern & Co? Sir James Cantlie KBE FRCS was born in 1851 in Banffshire. He took his first degree at Aberdeen University and carried out his clinical training at Charing Cross Hospital, London. In 1877 he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and Assistant Surgeon to Charing Cross Hospital; in 1886 he became Surgeon at Charing Cross. In 1888 he resigned to take up a position as Dean of the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese (where the future Chinese leader Sun Yat Sen was one of his pupils), combining his work here with private surgical practice. His work during these years included investigations into leprosy and into various tropical diseases; in 1894 he encountered an outbreak of plague in Hong Kong. In 1897 he returned to London, where he was involved in the setting up of the Journal of Tropical Medicine in 1898 and of the London School of Tropical Medicine in 1899. He was President of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. During the early years of the twentieth century and particularly during the First World War his work centred on the provision and training of ambulance services. He died in 1926.

 

Physical description

Cream-coloured triangular bandage printed on one side with illustrations of how the bandage might be used and accompanying text, for example 'Fracture Of Thigh (Femur)', 'Fracture Of Bones Of Hand' and 'Knee Bandage', 'The Vernaid Bandage' is printed along the bottom and in top corner there is a cross containing the inscription 'V & Co. Ltd

INFO FROM IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM