Pelton Sterilizing Unit

Circa 1925 | Object # 0010.0025

As the germ theory became more widely understood and accepted, dentists adopted practices to ensure a sterile work environment. An important tool was the sterilizer, into which metal hand instruments were placed for disinfection. This sterilizer, which heated oil to 175 degrees Celsius, was popular in the first two decades of the 20th century.

Sterilizer with a “PELTON / CRANE” inscription on the front. That firm began in Detroit in 1900 when Richard Pelton, a dentist, partnered with Earnest M. Crane, an electrical engineer. Their first product was the Pelton Electric Furnace, suitable for dental offices. The firm was incorporated in 1910, and moved to Charlotte, N.C., after World War II.