Decontaminating equipment, Guy's Hospital Medical School, Newcomen Street, Southwark, Greater London
A woman loading equipment to be decontaminated into a steam chest in the new Pathological Block of St Guy's Hospital. The bacteria contaminating test tubes and bottles must be killed before the containers are safe for handling by the operators who wash them. This is done in a steam chest in which they are subjected to heat and considerable pressure. Pressure steam sterilisation was developed in the late 19th century. There were then few developments until the 1950s when central sterile services were gradually developed nationally along with the introduction of standards for construction of autoclaves (steam chests).
