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CSL (Commonwealth Serum Laboratories) Collection
Image: Antivenene - Tiger Snake
Source: Museum Victoria
The Commonwealth Serum Laboratories (CSL) was founded in 1916 to provide life-saving products to a country isolated by war. The organisation is renowned for its work in the areas of penicillin, antivenoms, hormones, vaccines and blood products. In 1994, CSL Ltd was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and has achieved considerable success in the international market for bioproducts. The museum's CSL collection includes over 500 artefacts from the period 1916 to 1984. The objects were originally collected by CSL staff and volunteers for the CSL Museum, which was once located at the CSL site at Parkville. The displayed objects highlight some of the contributions made by CSL to public health.
The first vaccine produced by CSL in 1919 was used to protect Australians from the pandemic of Spanish influenza.
By the 1930s, CSL was producing a variety of products. CSL's first medical sales representative used this case, containing 65 samples, while travelling the east coast of Australia. Products included insulin and vaccines to diphtheria, gonorrhoea and typhoid.
CSL is renowned for having rapidly implemented methods for the large-scale manufacture of penicillin following the discoveries of Howard Florey in 1939. By 1944, penicillin was available to Australians fighting in the Pacific. Australian citizens were the first in the world to have general access to penicillin.
In 1930, CSL and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute developed the first antivenom for the treatment of tiger snake bits. CSL continued to develop antivenoms to all venomous Australian snakes, as well as the Red-back Spider and Funnel-web Spider. Other antivenoms produced by CSL save against bites from at least 6 other deadly snake species as well as ticks, box jellyfish and stonefish.
In 1994, CSL Ltd was sold by the Australian Government and listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and has achieved considerable success in the international market for bioproducts and pharmaceuticals.
Items per page: 10 50 (showing 31 - 40) 390 items
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Flask - Erlenmeyer Glass, 1000ml, circa 1970
Erlenmeyer flask, 1000mL. Routine laboratory glassware. Used by Commonwealth Serum Laboratories (CSL) Limited, Parkville, Victoria. About 1970
From: Parkville, Australia Images: 0 -
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Test Papers - Corallin, circa 1930
Box of test papers (Corallin) for chemical analysis of solutions. Corallin responds to ammonia. Used by Commonwealth Serum Laboratories (CSL) Limited, Parkville, Victoria.
From: Parkville, Australia Images: 0 -
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Bottle - 1 Gallon Glass, Felton Grimwade & Co, circa 1919
Glass bottle with rubber stopper, capacity 1 gallon. c1919. Used by Commonwealth Serum Laboratories (CSL) Limited, Parkville, Victoria.
From: Melbourne, Australia Images: 0 -
Vaccine Vial - Anti-Pneumococcal, 1920s
Antiserum used as a vaccine to pneumonia. Manufactured by Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, about 1920s
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Vaccine Bottle - Cattle Foot Rot, 1964
Glass bottle containing Cattle Foot Rot vaccine. Manufactured by Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, (CSL) Ltd, Parkville, Victoria, 1964
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Set of Apothecaries Measures - Glass, circa 1900
Glass beakers used to measure apothecary chemicals at CSL (Commonwealth Serum Laboratories), Parkville, circa 1900. Four were handblown at CSL and the other four were manufactured by CC ...
From: Parkville, Australia Images: 1 -
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Veterinary Product - Bacillary Extract of B Suisepticus, circa 1930
Vial containing Bacillary Extract of B. Suisepticus, for the prevention of Swine Plague, in cardboard box. Manufactured by Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, (CSL) Ltd, Parkville, Victori ...
From: Parkville, Australia Images: 0 -
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Vial - Corticotrophin, ACTH, 1 Unit, 1961
Not original pack. Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulates the adrenal cortex. More specifically, it stimulates secretion of glucocorticoids such as cortisol. This pack may have ...
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Serum Bottle - Blood Grouping Anti-A, 1960s
Blood grouping serum, 'Anti-A'. used for determining blood type. Made by Commonwealth Serum Laboratories (CSL) Limited, Parkville, Victoria, c1960s.
From: Parkville, Australia Images: 0 -
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Microscope Exposure Meter - Photovolt Corp, Boxed, circa 1950
Selenium (photovoltaic) exposure meter for microscopes. Inserted in eye piece position to take a reading, which is then converted to exposure settings using the rotational calculator pr ...
From: Parkville, Australia Images: 0
