{"id":234,"date":"2011-09-15T17:55:25","date_gmt":"2011-09-15T17:55:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tmcldev.wpengine.com\/mcgovern\/2011\/09\/15\/jones-motor-basal-metabolism-tester-1937\/"},"modified":"2019-08-30T18:01:59","modified_gmt":"2019-08-30T18:01:59","slug":"jones-motor-basal-metabolism-tester-1937","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/library.tmc.edu\/mcgovern\/2011\/09\/15\/jones-motor-basal-metabolism-tester-1937\/","title":{"rendered":"Jones Motor Basal metabolism tester, 1937"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Alethea Drexler, archives assistant<\/strong>
\nmcgovern@exch.library.tmc.edu<\/a>
\nI am easily distracted by shiny objects.
\nThere is more to an archive than books and professional papers.\u00a0 I’m a bit of a pop culture aficionado, as I’m sure our readers can tell from past blog posts: I love ephemera<\/a>[1]–the postcards, advertising, commercial packaging.
\nI also love the realia<\/a>[2]. When someone calls and asks us if we might be interested in his grandfather’s medical implements, it feels a little like Christmas.
\nSanta Claus arrived early yesterday in the person of J. Richard Stanley, who brought us a pair of basal metabolic rate machines.\u00a0 No, we didn’t know what that meant, either, but, luckily, Mr. Stanley also brought documentation.\u00a0 Documentation is one of the few things that makes me happier at work than do ephemera and realia, because it’s very important but often elusive.\u00a0 The entire Thingamajig series can pretty much be attributed to lack of documentation.
\nBasal metabolic rate<\/a>, it turns out, is the amount of energy expended per day by a person (or animal) at rest[3].\u00a0 The basal metabolic rate is all the rage right now–when I searched it, I found one entry with a definition, and then a zillion more entries about how to increase mine, sponsored by various diet and fitness sites.\u00a0 Basically, the higher one’s basal metabolic rate, the more calories one burns without even trying<\/a>[4].
\nMr. Stanley brought us two machines from two different decades.\u00a0 Today’s blog post will be about the older of the two, which is a Jones Motor Basal metabolism tester, patent date of 1937.
\n

\"\"<\/a>
Jones Motor Basal<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nArchivist Phil Montgomery described it as looking like “the skeleton of a Dalek<\/a>[5]”.
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Jones Motor-Basal Metabolism Tester<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nThis one is old and somewhat fragmented.\u00a0 The switch box is broken but at least came with the machine.\u00a0 It has a Bakelite<\/a>[6] case and a nice faceted plastic jewel for an on\/off indicator light.
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Switch box<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nThe “abbreviated directions” plaque also came off.\u00a0 Personally, I’d rather whoever was having me breathe into this thing read the full directions, anyway, and not just he abbreviated ones.
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Abbreviated directions<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nIt’s also missing its hoses, face-mask, and soda lime canister.\u00a0 Soda lime granules are used to filter carbon dioxide<\/a>[7] out of the air breathed into the machine; soda lime canisters are also used on anesthesia machines.
\nSo, how does this work?
\nBasal metabolism is measured by determining the amount of time it takes a person to consume a given quantity of oxygen<\/a>[8]: In this case, it’s a liter tank.\u00a0 The higher the metabolic rate, the faster the oxygen is used up<\/a>[9].
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Oxygen tank<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nPuritan Maid oxygen, no less, which doesn’t quite make sense except possibly as a vestige of the early 20th century obsession with hygiene and “purity”.
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Puritan Maid<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nThis model was developed by one Horry M. Jones, M.D.\u00a0 Unusual names like “Horry” make researchers very happy, especially when they lift from obscurity a ubiquitous last name such as “Jones”.\u00a0 Here is an early article<\/a>[9] by Dr. Jones, featuring what seems to be a predecessor to the Motor Basal (the latest references cited are from 1920, considerably earlier than our 1937 patent date).
\nThe motor was used to circulate the oxygen.\u00a0 This notice<\/a>[10] from the Journal of the American Medical Association, 1939, features a very similar machine and a short explanation of its features.\u00a0 This machine is a Super Motor-Basal Metabolism Tester; ours isn’t Super, so my guess is that the one featured here is the next newer model.\u00a0 You can see in the picture where there are hoses attached that ours no longer has.
\nThat’s the motor on the left and the rubber bellows in the middle.\u00a0 Something else–possibly the soda lime canister–was attached to the right but has been lost.\u00a0 The two short pipes above the “elephant trunk” are where the hoses attached that were connected to the patient’s breathing mask.
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Motor and bellows<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nThat’s an indicator light on top.
\nThere is also a caution: “Warning: Oil when noisy”.
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Indicator light bulb<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nWith its cover in place, it also has a red jewel.
\n
\"\"<\/a>
Indicator light housing, with jewel<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nHere is an even later Jones machine in a JAMA announcement from 1950<\/a>[11].\u00a0 The design has changed some but it’s still recognizable.\u00a0 This 1939 psychology study<\/a>[12], and this 1952 study<\/a>[13] on personality and how it affects metabolism makes reference to a Jones Motor Basal machine.
\nWorks consulted<\/strong>:
\n[1] Ephemera<\/a>, Wikipedia.
\n[2] Realia<\/a> [library science], Wikipedia.
\n[3] Basal metabolic rate<\/a>, Wikipedia.
\n[4] Metabolism and weight loss<\/a>, Mayo Clinic.
\n[5] Dalek<\/a>, Dr. Who Wiki.
\n[6] Bakelite<\/a>, Wikipedia.
\n[7] Soda lime granules<\/a>, Wikipedia.
\n[8] Basal metabolic rate<\/a>, Wikipedia.
\n[9] Georgia State University<\/a>.
\n[10]Archives of internal medicine, Vol. 27, pages 48-60<\/a>, American Medical Association, Google Books.
\n[11] JAMA, Council on Physical Therapy, Vol. 112, No. 21, page 2133<\/a>, 1939.\u00a0 Obtained through the Texas Medical Center Library.
\n[12] JAMA, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, July 1, 1950<\/a>.\u00a0 Obtained through the Texas Medical Center Library.
\n[13] Freeman, G.L., and G.L. Griffin, “The measurement of general reactivity under basal conditions.” Journal of Social Psychology, Vol. 21, pages 63-72,<\/a> 1939. Taylor & Francis Online.
\n[14] Greenberg, Paul, and A.R. Gilliland, “The relationship between basal metabolism and personality.” Journal of Social Psychology, Vol. 35, pages 3-7<\/a>, 1952.\u00a0 Taylor & Francis Online.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Alethea Drexler, archives assistant mcgovern@exch.library.tmc.edu I am easily distracted by shiny objects. There is more to an archive than books and professional papers.\u00a0 I’m a bit of a pop culture aficionado, as I’m sure our readers can tell from past blog posts: I love ephemera[1]–the postcards, advertising, commercial packaging. I also love the realia[2]. […]<\/p>\n

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