The exposition of the Tula Historical and Architectural Museum presents one of the few syringes that are not intended for injection. It was designed by the French psychologist and psychophysiologist Pierre Marie Felix Janet.

Pierre Janet was born in 1859. He graduated from the University of Paris, where, like Sigmund Freud, he studied in the group of the famous psychiatrist of that time Jean Martin Charcot. At first, Janet worked in Le Havre, then moved to Paris. Since 1890, he headed the psychological laboratory at the Salpetriere Hospital in Paris. Two years later, he defended his dissertation ‘The mental state of hysterics’, and in 1898 began teaching at the Sorbonne. In 1904, Janet founded the ‘Journal of Normal and Pathological Psychology’ — one of the leading publications on psychology in France. In 1936, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Harvard University. Janet died of a serious illness in 1947 and was buried nine kilometers from Paris, in the city of Bourg-la-Reine.

The medical device developed by Janet has a large volume — from 150 to 500 milliliters — and is the largest syringe of all existing ones. It is used for irrigation. For example, in otolaryngology, Janet’s syringe is used to treat tonsils and ear passages. With its help, nutritional mixtures and solutions are administered into the body if a person cannot eat properly. At home, Janet’s syringe can be used for quick and accurate rinsing of abrasions and deep scratches.

Janet’s syringe can be both disposable and reusable. Disposable ones are made of a special kind of plastic. It is easily disposed of by remelting. Reusable syringes, where strength and neutrality to infections are especially important, are made of special glass. Such a syringe is to be sterilized after each application.

Janet’s syringe also appeared in movies. Thus, in the ‘The Caucasian Captive’ film, with its help, one of the heroes named Byvaly (Experienced) is allegedly given an intramuscular injection. The idea of using a large syringe on the set was suggested by actor Yuri Nikulin, who brought it from the circus. In reality, injections are not made with such syringes.