Dr. Chevalier Jackson, known in the medical community for his work on reducing the fatality of inhaled and swallowed foreign objects, was an unsung hero of children and many others in the early 1900s. His tools, surgeries, and diagrams helped save the lives of thousands of patients, while also serving as souvenirs of his work, and as a teaching aid for his students and fellow researchers.
Jackson’s collection of 2,300 inhaled objects can be seen in the Museum’s core gallery, just below our stairs. As guests pull out the curious, neatly organized drawers to see the once-inhaled objects, they might notice peach pits, safety pins, buttons, bones, and small toys. As the horrors of seeing open safety pins and peach pits begin to sink in, the drawer is closed, and Jackson is quickly forgotten once more. Dr. V. Alin Botoman, a scholar of Jackson and gastroenterologist, referred to him as a “renaissance man who made so many contributions to medicine and has been all but forgotten.” Jackson may not be a household name, however; his contributions to the health and safety of individuals in the home can be seen even to this day through his advocacy of proper labels for dangerous substances.
In the early 1900s, it was not uncommon for children to be poisoned by unmarked, improperly stored or unlabeled substances such as sodium hydroxide, lye, or caustic soda, ingredients that resemble flour and sugar. These substances, when ingested, could cause burns, vomiting, indigestion, and in extreme cases, death. The number one example of a seemingly inconspicuous substance was lye, a common ingredient in soap production, which could easily be confused with sugar. Both ingredients could be found in kitchen cabinets within reach of unwitting hands. As lye reacts with the skin or esophagus, it can cause severe and painful blistering.
To prevent accidental poisoning, Jackson helped push Congress to enact the Federal Caustic Poison Act of 1927. This act detailed various acids and alkalis used in household products, such as lye, hydrochloric acid, and carbolic acid, and stated that any bottle, parcel, or container that contained a caustic, poisonous, or corrosive substance must be properly marked as such. The word “poison” must be in a distinct and legible font, such as Gothic, and it must be the largest font on the label or a separate sticker. Additionally, the label or sticker must have a lighter background compared to the darker or bolder word “poison.” This was to ensure the individual could clearly see the danger and potentially deter them from its misuse. If the labels do not dissuade an individual from ingesting the substances or a child ingests the substance by accident, the act requires the label to detail the appropriate treatment.
This was not the first attempt to label or mark dangerous substances. Some glass bottles used to hold dangerous and poisonous substances, such as arsenic, were designed to have a tactile feel or bright-colored glass to provide multiple warnings that the substance may be dangerous. However, these bottles were more common among pharmaceuticals than household chemicals. Without proper guidance, most households were unaware of the dangers of storing chemicals and powders in inconspicuous containers until it may have been too late.
Through the efforts of Jackson and other lobbyists, the act was enacted in 1927. From his advocacy, we can see a ripple effect extending into other laws and the advancement of the FDA. In 1960, thousands of household chemical products came under FDA control in response to the creation of the Hazardous Substances Labeling Act. As laws developed from Jackson’s initial efforts, his name and recognition of his contribution slowly dissipated. Which brings us to the present day, where a poison label has become so normalized that most do not even consider its origins.
The Mütter Museum has brought Jackson’s story to the public with its unique exhibit. From his collection of inhaled items, artwork, and tools on display within the Museum, Jackson’s contributions to public health and policy will extend far beyond our drawers and exhibition glass, and into our modern homes and cabinets.
Reference
- “Perspectives in Disease Prevention and Health Promotion National Poison Prevention Weeks. 25th Anniversary Observance.” (March 14, 1986 / 35(10);149-52).
- Federal Caustic Poison Act. Mar. 4, 1927, ch. 489, 44 Stat. 1406 ( 15 U.S.C. 401 et seq.)
- Giddings CE, Rimmer J, Weir N. Chevalier Jackson: pioneer and protector of children. Laryngol Otol. 2013 Jul;127(7):638-42. doi: 10.1017/S0022215113001084. Epub 2013 May 24. PMID: 23701734.
- Janssen, Wallace F. “The Story of the Laws Behind the Labels.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
- Schaffer, Amanda. “Down the Hatch and Straight Into Medical History” New York Times,(January 11, 2011)
- “Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH)” Tennessee Department of Health.
- “Blue ridged glass bottle for arsenic, Europe, 1701-1935" Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection. The Science Musuem Group.