Palmer Insulin Injector wanted

[colin rowland]

Hello, I am Colin from Devon England - Type 1 for 48 years and very active member of the Diabetes Community and it's associated charities.
I am desperately trying to source a medical device that I used as a child in the seventies, it was the Palmer Injector, manufactured in Glasgow Scotland. It resembled a small gun, was made from Stainless steel and was used in conjunction with glass syringes in order to inject insulin for those who had a problem with needles alone!

I do a lot of inspirational speaking to newly diagnosed children and this device would be wonderfully well received as a relic from my past to a young audience.

Can anyone out there possibly help me find one to buy??

Many Thanks.

 

[phoenix]

Here's a picture that might help jog memories http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/objects/display.aspx?id=5830
(it doesn't look very friendly!)

 

[rochari]

Hi Colin

Yes, I had one too but hated the da*m thing and hardly used it. Phoenix, for me it was an instrument of torture as it could take me 5 minutes to pull the trigger. I will never forget the noise as it 'fired'. The memory still gives me the heebies! I'm now 50 years type one and as a kid my folks kindly bought it for me so I felt under pressure to use it. Oh, and they also bought the Hypoguard auto-injector which had the same effect on me. I kept The Palmer for years in its orginal black box and one day mentioned it to the DSN at my local hospital. She said that many teaching hospitals might appreciate getting hold of one to show medical students. I handed it in to her at my next visit (6 months later) and she told me that in the months since we last met they'd also had another handed in. She still took it though!

So, I know it's a long shot but might it be worth asking at your local teaching hospitals if they have one (or more) and still need it?

Bill

 

[Lisbet]

Hello, I am Colin from Devon England - Type 1 for 48 years and very active member of the Diabetes Community and it's associated charities.
I am desperately trying to source a medical device that I used as a child in the seventies, it was the Palmer Injector, manufactured in Glasgow Scotland. It resembled a small gun, was made from Stainless steel and was used in conjunction with glass syringes in order to inject insulin for those who had a problem with needles alone!

I do a lot of inspirational speaking to newly diagnosed children and this device would be wonderfully well received as a relic from my past to a young audience.

Can anyone out there possibly help me find one to buy??

Many Thanks.

Did you ever get hold of one Colin? I've love one for 'old time's sake'!! I had one in the 60s and although it really hurt, I liked having some 'cool kit' as a teen - a bit like many now crave pumps and CGM as being the thing to have regardless of their ability to utilise the info and help they give. I've asked on Facebook and had one response but he said he'd check his attic and never came back. I did get my hands on one at a London meeting with INPUT - someone donated one to them and they brought it along for me to play with. So odd that I'd really like to have one and so regret chucking mine away years ago. It's part of my 50 year diabetes heritage! And like you, I give talks sometimes and would love to show it to people who complain about today's technology...

 

[tim2000s]

The precursor to the NovoPen!

 

[Ali_Philpott]

Hi Colin,

Just happened to see your request. Did you ever get a Palmer? I have one you can have if you still need it.

 

[MH2010]

Wow, if I ever had to use anything like that, I would run a mile lol.

Amazing how far things have came since then.

 

[steve_p6]

Yes and see that huge gap between syringe and your leg, that was the needle size!! I had the hypoguard, the only thing that was guaranteed to do was hit blood and hurt a lot - probably another reason we kids were all on a single shot of monotard at the time. Disposable BD syringes were a godsend when they arrived.

 

[iHs]

Wow, if I ever had to use anything like that, I would run a mile lol.

Amazing how far things have came since then.

Me too.....I looked in horror at the contraption in Balance mag back in the 60's. so made do with the syringe

 

[iHs]

Hi Colin,

Just happened to see your request. Did you ever get a Palmer? I have one you can have if you still need it.

Ive just seen yr msg so have contacted Lisbet as I'm sure she will love it and show it to good use

 

[Lisbet]

Thanks iHs. Ali - am desperate to get one! Pls contact me ASAP FINGERS CROSSED



Moderator edit to remove email address, @Lisbet please send you contact details by pm to iHs.

 

[Lisbet]

Hi Colin,

Just happened to see your request. Did you ever get a Palmer? I have one you can have if you still need it.

Ali - I'd LOVE to have a Palmer I hector - please let me know if you still have one....

 

[mike1972]

Here is a photo of The Palmer Injector Gun which originally took the 50ml Glass Syringe in the 1970’s and later on the 100ml Glass Syringe that came out in the 1980’s. I used this since 1975 till 1991 when I was put on the disposable syringe instead which made the gun unusable. Sadly I don’t have it anymore unfortunately.