Name/TitleEquipment: Pneumatic Tubes
About this objectTwo tubes including signs that were posted around the pneumatic tube station. Found after the hospital moved sites in Ward C8, Renal and Transplant Ward, East Wing, old Royal Adelaide Hospital (North Terrace site).
The Pneumatic Carrier System was primarily used to send scripts down to pharmacy and x-ray requests to radiology. Ward to ward communication was also possible. In each ward there was a directory kept near the tube collection area.
The pneumatic tube system was in use in the North and East Wings from 1969. Early on, the system was not overly efficient, with it breaking down regularly. Pharmacy staff arrived at 8am and people would send tubes before they arrived and system often overloaded. Sometimes there would be up to eighty carriers backed up all the way to the sorting conveyor. If the flap of the carrier wasn't properly closed the paper would end up in the vacuum fan. Blood products could not successfully travel in the system, due to jolting, which was destructive to the specimen.
Date MadeCa 2017
Subject and Association DescriptionCross reference: AR#6389
Object TypeEquipment
Object numberAR#6259
Copyright LicenceAll rights reserved