Inhaler c. 1939

Yolande Delasser made this watercolor painting, titled 'Inhaler', sometime between 1855 and 1995. At first glance, it's a simple depiction of an everyday object. But think for a moment about the social context of health and medicine during Delasser's lifetime. Inhalers, like the one meticulously rendered here, were becoming increasingly common. This was an era of rapid industrialization and growing awareness of respiratory ailments. The inhaler thus becomes symbolic of the changing social landscape, reflecting both medical progress and the rise of new health challenges associated with industrial life. As historians, we can delve into medical archives, public health records, and even advertisements of the time to better understand the culture surrounding objects like these. The meaning of this inhaler isn't just about personal health, but about how society confronts its collective ailments.