The History of Dräger

Technology for Life

since1889

Historische_Broschuere_ENGL_6 23.01.14 15:12 Seite 1

Dräger is technology for life. Every day, we live up to that responsibility by putting all ofour passion, knowledge and experience into improvinglives with outstanding and

innovative technology thatputs life first. We dedicate ourefforts to those who dependon our technology the worldover, to the environment, andto a better future.


| 5TECHNOLOGY FOR LIFE SINCE 18894 |

Johann Heinrich Dräger is dissatisfied with the existingbeer tap systems: The flow of beer is uneven and equip-ment is often out of order. Johann Heinrich Dräger,trained as a watchmaker, takes up the challenge to hisinventive creativity. Puzzling over the technology, hefinally develops the first reliable reducing valve for car-bonic acid in 1889 – the Lubeca valve. He decides not to sell his invention, but to produce the valve himself.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the use of anes -thetic agents implies significant risks. Frequently,patients died because of imprecise proportioning ofgases. Johann Heinrich Dräger and Professor Dr. OttoRoth put all their expertise to the development of a new anesthesia device, aiming at finally controllinganesthesia. The “Roth-Dräger” is a ground-breakinginnovation, positioning our company as an expert in the field of anesthesia.



The Courrières mine accident, which claimed over1,000 lives, makes a deep impression on BernhardDräger. He travels to France to experience at first handthe working conditions underground. His aim is to makebreathing apparatus safer and improve their perfor-mance in practice. The new devices will soon prove tobe highly effective in mining disasters in Europe and theUS. It’s no surprise that rescue workers are still called“Draegermen” in the North American mining industry.

Johann Heinrich Dräger witnesses how a young man is saved from the River Thames in London and resusci-tated. The event inspired him to further develop agroundbreaking idea: On-site mechanical ventilation toresuscitate people who have lost consciousness throughoxygen deficiency. Back in Lübeck, Johann HeinrichDräger begins work on the Pulmotor, the first series-produced emergency respirator in the world.



Johann Heinrich Dräger ✶ 1847 am Sulzbrack, Kirchspiel Kirchwärder✝ 1917 in Lübeck

Managed the company from 1889 to 1912

Dr. Ing. h. c. Bernhard Dräger✶ 1870 auf der Howe, Kirchspiel Kirchwärder✝ 1928 in Lübeck


Dr. Heinrich Dräger✶ 1898 in Lübeck✝ 1986 in Lübeck


Dr. Christian Dräger✶ 1934 in Berlin


Stefan Dräger✶ 1963 in Lübeck

Has managed the company since 2005

Theo Dräger✶ 1938 in Berlin


The Dräger family: Five generations of entrepreneurs


We help premature babies get

Blindtext and a chance for healthy

TECHNOLOGY FOR LIFE SINCE 188910 | | 11

The first Patent

On January 1, 1889, 42-year-old Johann HeinrichDräger founds the company “Dräger und Gerling”in Lübeck with his business partner Carl AdolfGerling. Born the son of a watchmaker in a smallvillage on the Elbe, the talented and ambitiousprecision mechanic manages great professionalsuccess. Beginning with orders for minor repairs,Johann Heinrich Dräger eventually founds the successful Lübeck-based company.

The business of the newly founded company is the sale of equipment and innovations, such asbeer tap systems, which use compressed carbondioxide. Though it has been possible since the second half of the 19th century to fill steel cylinderswith high-pressure gas, the problem of removingthe gas in a controlled and safe manner at lowpressure remains. Even the equipment sold byDräger barely lives up to its task; the flow of gas −and therefore of beer − is hard to control anduneven, and the valves are often faulty.

Dissatisfied with the available technology, JohannHeinrich Dräger and his son Bernhard, who hasjust qualified as a mechanic, begin working on anew innovation. The result: the Lubeca valve. Forthe first time, it is possible to precisely control theremoval of carbon dioxide from a high-pressuretank. While competitors’ valves are considerablyheavier, the Lubeca valve is very light – weighingjust two kilograms. Johann Heinrich Dräger has his invention patented immediately.

This first patent changes the growing company’sbusiness. Johann Heinrich Dräger makes the riskydecision not to sell his invention, but to produceand sell it himself. And rightly so – the trading company consequently flourishes to become anindustrial enterprise.

“At first, we just accepted the reducing valve as a completeand properly functioning product without question. We were to be sorely disappointed. My son and I began tothink about the problem of the reducing valve, whichresulted in an entirely new design.”Johann Heinrich Dräger

The mail carrier delivers the patent for theLubeca valve to Johann Heinrich Dräger.

1889

Patent specification for the Lubeca valve Further development of the Lubeca valve for oxygen


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Realization of an industry stan-dard for connection threads

Basic research on oxygen proportioning

1895 1896 1897 1898 1899

Autogenous welding and cutting torch

Pressure suction jet “oxygen injector”

Establishment of the companyhardship fund “Hülfe”

Construction of the MoislingerAllee factory in Lübeck

Finimeter high-pressure gauge

Reducing valve for oxygen andhydrogen “oxygen/hydrogenmachine”

Founding of the workshop andshop “Dräger & Gerling”

The first reducing valve for car-bon dioxide: the Lubeca valve

Bernhard Dräger joins thecompany as a design engineer

1889 1891 1892 1893 1894

TECHNOLOGY FOR LIFE SINCE 188912 |

Johann Heinrich Drägerbecomes sole proprietor

Launch of pressure gauge production

The original beer tap systemproves a hit on the market

Rise in sales: Dräger intro-duces two-shift production

1899OXYGEN IS THE FUTURE

Oxygen – this is the topic of the future. It providesBernhard Dräger, the founder’s son, with what isstill the company’s guiding philosophy today: Technology for Life. He recognizes the potential ofan up-and-coming market that has only begun todevelop at the turn of the century, namely the useof compressed oxygen. Bernhard Dräger discoversthat the principle of pressure reduction has appli-cations as a basic technology for a variety of prod-ucts, from soldering and welding equipment to ventilators and respiratory protective devices.

Johann Heinrich Dräger once wrote the followingabout his son: “He didn’t need to learn the art ofinvention; he was born with the talent.” And indeed,Bernhard soon becomes the top inventor in hisfather’s company. He puts his knowledge of physicsand mechanical engineering from his studies inBerlin to direct use at the growing company. A peri-od of extensive research and development beginsat the end of the 1890s under his leadership. Thefirst results of this targeted product development

are launched on the market in 1899: theoxygen/hydrogen machine, a reducing valve for pro-portioning oxygen and hydrogen, and the Finimeter,a high-pressure gauge that can be used to view theexact fill level in oxygen cylinders for the first time.

1889–1899 “Carbon dioxide is death; oxygen is life.” Johann Heinrich Dräger

Johann Heinrich Dräger in hisstudy with his son Bernhard

Beer tap system


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First welding torch

Alkaline cartridge for purifying breathing air

1903 1904 1905 1906

Model 1904/09 breathingapparatus

Launch of profit-sharingarrangement

Physiological studies for respiratory protection

Dräger is awarded the goldmedal at the World’s Fair in St. Louis, USA

Carbon dioxide sensor

Air purification systems for submarines

Braun-Dräger positive pressure machine

Hydrogen cutting torch

1906THE COURRIÈRES MINING DISASTER

On March 10, a massive explosion rocks a coalmine near the French town of Courrières. Approxi-mately 1,600 men are working in the mine at thetime, some up to 400 meters underground. Despiteimmediate assistance, more than 1,000 workers die

in the inferno of flames, poisonous gases, collaps-ing walls and floods. Even German mine rescueteams rush to help their fellow French miners, anact of solidarity that causes quite a stir in thesenationalistic times.

The French workers are equipped with the Model1904/09 breathing apparatus, which is the succes-sor to the Model 1903. The significant improve-ments made to the breathing apparatus are theresult of experiments that Bernhard Dräger con-ducted himself. In 1904, he traveled to Camp-hausen near Saarbrücken, Germany, to conducttests with the local mine rescue team using theModel 1903. His observations revealed that an air-flow rate of 20 liters per minute does not suffice tofill the lungs under the stressful conditions of a res-cue operation. Rather, 50 to 60 liters are necessary.

Bernhard incorporated these trend-setting findingsinto the design of the new Model 1904/09. Amongother things, he integrated an improved alkalinecartridge that increased service life to two hours.These were improvements that saved lives in theCourrières mining disaster. According to theParisian daily newspaper Le Journal: “The appara-tuses perform miracles.”

Oxygen supply device forhigh-altitude flights

1900 1901 1902


Oxyhydrogen lamp (limelight)for film projection

Roth-Dräger mixed anestheticapparatus

Portable oxygen inhalationdevice

Founding of Drägerwerk,Heinr. & Bernh. Dräger

1902THE TAMING OF ANESTHESIA

Otto Roth presents one of the world’s first anes-thetic apparatuses for oxygen and chloroform at the German Congress of Surgeons in Berlin. TheRoth-Dräger anesthetic apparatus makes it possi-ble for the first time to reliably control the mixture of oxygen and anesthetic agents such as ether andchloroform. Anesthesia is finally tamed.

1900–1906

Johann Heinrich Dräger developed this milestonein surgical medicine in collaboration with his goodfriend Dr. Roth. The product’s economic successquickly follows. In the ten years that follow, 1,500Roth-Drägers are sold across the globe, establish-ing Dräger’s international reputation as a pioneer of medical technology.

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Bernhard Dräger (center) with his son Heinrich (right)experimenting on measuring lung capacity.

Dr. Otto Roth (center) with Dräger’s firstanesthetic apparatus

Europe’s largest mining disaster: rescuers save the partiallyburied miners caught in the accident.

Model 1904/09

Roth-Dräger



Heroes undergroundAt the beginning of the 20th century, Dräger developed the revolutionaryModel 1904/09 respiratory protective device. From that point on, rescueteams used it to save workers in the mines. The emergency responders inAmerica were so thrilled by the product’s quality that they proudly calledthemselves “Draegermen”. Ever since then, the term “Draegerman” has been used as a synonym in America and Canada for a member of a minerescue team. You can still find it in dictionaries today. The term achievedgreat notoriety in the world of entertainment, too. In one of the first Super-man comic books in 1938, “Draegermen” come to the aid of the hero rescuing people trapped by a collapse in a mine.

DRÄGERMAN

Workers at an iron ore mine of the United States Steel Corporation


The first ventilator: Pulmotor

Establishment of the first foreign subsidiary: DraegerOxygen Apparatus Co., New York, USA

Diving rebreather for submarine crews

1907


1907PULMOTOR – THE FIRST VENTILATOR

While journeying abroad, Johann Heinrich Drägerwatches as a young man is pulled from the Thamesand resuscitated. With these images in mind,Johann Heinrich Dräger resolves to create a devicefor “pumping fresh air or oxygen into the lung”.Back at home, he begins to develop the world’sfirst ventilator. The original Pulmotor creates alter-nating positive and negative airway pressure andoperates with pressurized oxygen. It is a ground-breaking concept that will become the basis ofmechanical ventilation for decades to come.

Ventilation consequently becomes a matter that isnear and dear to Johann Heinrich and BernhardDräger. Bernhard Dräger and the engineer HansSchröder further develop the Pulmotor, which

becomes a bestseller for the young company. Theeasily portable ventilator makes it possible for thefirst time to revive people on the spot who have lostconsciousness due to a lack of oxygen.

1907

The Pulmotor prototype

Further development of the Pulmotor: 3,000 ventilators are in use, just five yearsafter the launch of serial production in 1908.

The Pulmotor is first used in mines to resuscitate buried workersafter a collapse. Hospitals begin using this pioneering technologynot long afterward.


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1907

The former Dräger building atNo. 11 Broadway in 2007

In 1907, passage from Hamburg to New York took approximately two weeks.

Dräger Review − Dräger’s customer magazine − makes an assu-red prediction for 1914: “Diving with the hoseless apparatus isso safe and simple that even elderly enthusiasts need not shyaway from diving to depths of 10 to 20 meters.”

Employees of the Pittsburghfire department in 1918

1907FIRST DRÄGER SUBSIDIARY IN NEW YORK

Johann Heinrich Dräger takes the opportunity toshow Hamburg-born Walter E. Mingramm his newbreathing apparatus when Mingramm visits theDräger factory on behalf of a Mexican company.Excited by the new technology, Mingramm returnsto Mexico and makes the bargain of his life.Inspired by the thought of opening a Dräger sub-sidiary in the United States, he returns to Lübeck.Bernhard Dräger seizes the opportunity andaccompanies him to America to see for himselfwhat the situation in America is like. Just a shortwhile later, Bernhard Dräger and Walter E.

Mingramm open the company Draeger OxygenApparatus Co. in a skyscraper at No. 11 Broadway.The branch moves to Pittsburgh in 1908.

1907FROM DIVING RESCUER TO DIVING EQUIPMENT

Dräger engineer Hermann Stelzner uses thebreathing apparatus with alkaline cartridge andbreathing bag as a guide in developing the first diving rescuer. Diving rescuers are often the onlychance that submarine crews have at surviving anaccident. In 1912, Dräger unveils the first freelyportable diving apparatus. What makes this appara-tus special is that it offers human beings thechance for the first time to move freely about underwater for longer periods of time. In fact, up to 40minutes. The air hose used to connect the diverwith the supply ship, in addition to the backweights, are replaced by two oxygen cylinders andan absorber. Beginning in 1939, Austrian diving andfilm pioneer Hans Hass begins to develop theimmediate forerunner to modern diving rebreatherswith Dräger. This original model enabled under-water expeditions and experiments that had not previously been possible.

Diving and film pioneer Hans Hass on anexcursion with his underwater camera

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New factory building “Haus 3”

Dräger-Tübben self-rescuer

World altitude record for air-planes (6,120 meters) set withDräger high-altitude breathingapparatus

Underwater simulation systemfor testing deep-sea divingequipment

1913 1914

Export quota of 40 percent toCanada and USA

Establishment of company’sunemployment insurance plan

Start of World War I

1913A FACTORY WITH A

“BENEFICIAL WORKING ENVIRONMENT”

In 1913, Bernhard Dräger opens the doors to hisnew, modern factory made of reinforced concrete.The building is surrounded by green spaces andfeatures spacious, sunlit rooms, wide corridors andstaircases, modern elevators, a telephone network,and generous sanitary facilities. These progressiveworking conditions are complemented by the social

Dräger-Wiss acetylene welding torch

Dräger burnout protection

Serial production of the Pulmotor

1908 1909 1910 1911 1912


High-altitude oxygen breathingapparatus for balloon flights

Further development of theRoth-Dräger anesthetic appa-ratus for serial production

Model 1910/11 oxygen injectorapparatus

Establishment of a companyfor the financing of employeehomes

Roth-Dräger-Krönig positivepressure mixed anestheticapparatus

Systematic diving experiments

Bernhard Dräger becomes soleproprietor

First German issue of the cus-tomer magazine “Drägerheft”

Hoseless diving apparatus

Combined anesthetic apparatusfor positive pressure anesthesiaand mechanical ventilation

1912THE FIRST DRÄGER REVIEW

At a time when customer magazines are not yet terribly common, Dräger publishes the first German“Drägerheft” (“Dräger Review”) to explain to cus-tomers the complex technology behind the compa-ny’s innovative products. Bernhard Dräger is thedriving force behind this. He chooses WilhelmHaase-Lampe to be his partner for the publication,who would have a hand in shaping the magazine as its editor for 38 years. From the very beginning,the Dräger customer magazine makes a statementand, as the preface to the first issue states, it willreport “on work in the workshop and its resultspublicly.” These reports are specifically presentedin an objective manner and not as commercialadvertisements. A very modern approach, indeed.

1908–1914

1928 1988 2012 Although the Dräger Review’s look has changed a lot in the last century, its objective is still the same: to inform customers.

security measures that the Dräger family offers toemployees from the outset. Already in 1897, JohannHeinrich Dräger founds the “Hülfe” company hard-ship fund. The company for the financing of em-ployee homes follows in 1910, and in 1914, BernhardDräger sets up a company unemployment insur-ance plan.

Turning shop

The Dräger family at the topping-out ceremony

Construction of the factory building“Haus 3”, which is still in use today.

Dräger-Tübben


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Spearheading of the introduc-tion of the DIN standard forconnections

1920 1923 1924 1925

Factory closure for seven days First closed-circuit anestheticapparatus for acetylene

Model 1924 closed-circuitbreathing apparatus

Draegerogen self-rescuer

1924BREATHING SAFELY UNDERGROUND

The Model 1924 breathing apparatus is nothingshort of a revolution thanks to a mask that replacesthe uncomfortable method of breathing inside ahelmet. The breathing apparatus can also be more

easily adjusted to meet the needs of the personwearing it. Wearers can decide between position-ing the hose on the side or on the shoulder andalso between lung-governed demand or constantoxygen supply.

The development of the Draegerogen is anothermilestone in mine rescue services. The self-rescueris light, easy to use and does not require an oxygencylinder, which makes it ideal for miners. The maincomponent of this apparatus is a sodium super-oxide cartridge that releases breathable air for upto an hour. This technology is still used for minesafety today.

Mass production of respiratoryprotection masks

1915 1916 1917 1918 1919


Start of gas warfare on theWestern Front

Johann Heinrich Dräger pass-es away on May 29, 1917

Expansion of the factory build-ing “Haus 3” and constructionof the administrative building“Haus 1”

The number of employeesincreases to more than 2,000

The November Revolution in Germany and the end ofWorld War I

Closed-circuit system andabsorber cartridge

Demobilization threatens thecompany’s viability

1916RESPIRATORY PROTECTIVE DEVICES

FOR WORLD WAR I

After being forced to graduate early from second-ary school, Heinrich Dräger, Bernhard Dräger’s oldest son, is drafted into the Empire’s army andserves in a field artillery regiment on the WesternFront. Equipped with Dräger respiratory protection,the young soldier manages to survive several gasattacks. In 1915, Dräger already begins developingrespiratory protection equipment on behalf of thePrussian War Ministry. A total of 4.6 million respi-ratory protective devices are produced over thecourse of the war. The enormous demand for mili-tary and civilian protection triggers further growth:the number of employees grows, new buildings areconstructed and output increases. The end of thewar in 1918 results in a massive drop in productionlevels and hard times for the entire company.

1923TIMES OF CRISIS

Inflation and economic crisis leave their mark onDräger. The company closes its plant for a weekdue to reorganization. After the end of the war, themarket for Dräger devices shrinks and the companyis forced to manufacture alternative products suchas linens, clothing and curtains.

On top of this, the company faces the loss of inter-national patents and many competitors copy theproducts developed in Lübeck. Bernhard Drägerattempts to counter this trend with increased prod-uct innovation. It will take some time before thecompany regains its foothold in its old markets.

1915–1925

Carbon dioxide air inhalation unit

Rebreather for rescue divers

Hyperinflation in GermanyDuring the months of hyperinflation in 1923, the value of theGerman currency fell so quickly that workers received theirwages every day in many places. People fetched the bills withbags and suitcases and rushed to the stores to exchange themoney for goods as quickly as possible. Retailers wereforced to constantly raise their prices because the Germanmark rapidly decreased in value nearly every day. Many retail-ers only bartered, trading goods and services for food andcoal. Some even completely closed shop. The situation led togreat social tensions.

A pound of butter in September 1923 cost 50 million Germanmarks. Nine years prior, a pound of butter cost 1.20 marks.

Economic crisis: Workers demonstrate infront of the factory gates.

Advertisement for the Model 1924breathing apparatus

New export market sales: respiratory protectivedevices prior to shipment to the USSR

Model 1924

Filter production

Alternative production of textiles after World War I


1926–1932

1926 1927


Dr. Heinrich Dräger joins the company

That same year, he travels for three months throughthe US and Canada to familiarize himself with thesekey markets. He visits the company’s traditionalcustomers − such as hospitals, mines and large firedepartments − and gets to know Dräger’s sub-sidiaries. In the 1930s, he travels extensively in theUS, the Soviet Union and other countries. The culti-vation of international customers and knowledge oftheir domestic markets becomes one of Dräger’sfactors for success. Dr. Heinrich Dräger makes apoint of steering the company toward the globalmarket − and with success: By 1931, exports ac-count for more than half of the production volume.

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Bernhard Dräger passes awayon January 12, 1928

Dr. Heinrich Dräger takes overas head of the company

1928 1929 1930 1931 1932

Dräger light metal cylinders for respiratory protection

Dräger counter-lung divingrebreather for submarinecrews

Collaboration with Swiss high altitude and deep searesearcher Dr. Auguste Piccard

Oxygen devices for the firstflight into the stratosphere

Dr. Heinrich Dräger becomessole proprietor

Dr. Heinrich Dräger establish-es a money and banking studygroup (Keynesian lobby)

Oxygen system for para-chutists

Dr. Heinrich Dräger sells the Nütschau estate to support the company financially

1931THE CONQUEST OF THE STRATOSPHERE

Swiss explorer and physicist Dr. Auguste Piccardascends to the previously uncharted height of15,781 meters in a balloon basket made of lightmetal alloy. This is the first flight into the strato-sphere in human history! Breathing at this altitudeis not possible. This dangerous experiment is made possible in part by Dräger technology – a liquid oxygen and a compressed oxygen breath-ing apparatus accompany the researcher on hisexpedition. His flight marks the beginning of a newera of exploration: Previously inaccessible depthsat sea and areas in space begin to open up as respiratory protection technology further develops.

All’s well that ends wellOn May 27, 1931, Dr. Auguste Piccard and his assistant Paul Kipfer ascended into the strato-sphere with a gas balloon. Piccard, who was a student of Albert Einstein and a professor ofphysics, made it his goal to research cosmic and nuclear radiation. He chose Augsburg as theperfect starting place for his flight. Based on his calculations, he planned to arrive in the BlackForest after approximately nine hours. He had miscalculated, however. The balloon shot up andwas carried away by the wind. A controlled landing was not possible because a gas valve wouldnot open. The two researches finally landed after 17 hours on a glacier in the Ötztal in Tyrol. Itwas fortunate that Dräger’s oxygen supply sufficed for 20 hours.

Dr. Heinrich Dräger (center) during his first mine tourat the site of the Victoria Mathias Mine, Essen

Piccard’s 14,000-cubic-meter gas balloonbefore the launch in Augsburg

Model A anesthetic apparatus

Temporary closure; two-thirdsof employees dismissed

Establishment of the chemistrydepartment

Dr. Auguste Piccard’s letter ofthanks to Drägerwerk Lübeck

Dr. Auguste Piccard and assistant PaulKipfer in front of the light metal alloyballoon basket that they designed

1926A NEW STANDARD IN THE OR:

THE CLOSED-CIRCUIT ANESTHETIC APPARATUS

Laughing gas, which is a gaseous analgesic,begins to enjoy widespread use in operatingrooms. Laughing gas is very expensive, however.That is why Dräger launches the Model A in 1926,which is the first serially manufactured closed-circuit anesthetic apparatus that reuses exhaled air.Alkaline cartridges used in breathing apparatusesscrub carbon dioxide from exhaled air, which prevents hypercapnia. With the closed-circuit tech-nology, only a little laughing gas escapes into theambient air. This demonstrates not only efficientuse of anesthetic agents, but it also prevents thepersonnel in the OR from becoming drowsy them-selves. In addition, the closed-circuit apparatusfacilitates controlled positive pressure ventilation. A milestone in the history of anesthesia, Model Aalready has all the features expected of a modern-day anesthesia device.

1928CUSTOMER LOYALTY IN THE AGE

OF TRANSATLANTIC STEAMERS

Bernhard Dräger passes away in 1928. His sonHeinrich, who has a doctorate in agricultural eco-nomics, takes over at the helm of the company.

Model A


1937MORE MILITARY ORDERS THAN EVER

The “people’s gas mask” is introduced in Germanyin 1937. Training courses and brochures teach people how to use and look after them. Fortunately,the people’s gas mask never sees use in a realemergency situation.

Already in 1933, the Reichswehr Ministry placesmore and more orders with Dräger for a militaryrescuer based on the tried-and-tested mine self-rescuers. These orders pose a problem for Dr. Heinrich Dräger: A new factory is needed justfor the production of the military rescuer. After theexperiences of World War I, however, he is wary ofestablishing surplus capacity. Back then, concen-trating only on military production almost bankrupt-ed the company. In addition, Germany’s autarchicpolicy poses a threat to Dräger’s position on theglobal market that it has only just won back. At thesame time, too much restraint means sacrificing the domestic market to competitors.

Dräger endeavors to strike a balance between civil-ian and military production, and does so success-fully. Even when arms productions are at their high-est, civilian production still accounts for 47 percentof total sales. However, in 1939, development of

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Hardship fund for illness,death and other emergencies

1938 1939 1940 1941 1942

Start of World War II

Production of respiratory protective devices expanded

Break in development of civil-ian products due to militaryproduction

Model 10 self-containedbreathing apparatus for short-term use

Production interrupted following air attack

The number of employees tops 5,000

Dr. Heinrich Dräger makesefforts on behalf of those persecuted by the Third Reich

civilian products has to be stopped. As a result, thecompany lags behind the international competitionin terms of technology after the war.

1941FORCED LABOR AT DRÄGER, TOO

The employment of forced laborers is a dark chap-ter in Germany’s industrial history. The NationalSocialist government systematically organized theselaborers to replace industrial workers fighting onthe front lines and so maintain war production. In1944, around a quarter of all workers employed inindustry in Germany are forced laborers.

At Dräger during this time, around 1,200 of the7,000 employees are forced laborers; they are civil-ians, mostly from occupied countries in the east,such as the Soviet Union, Poland and Yugoslavia.The 50 prisoners of war are the minority. In 1944,the Reich’s Armament Ministry offers Dr. HeinrichDräger the chance to employ concentration campinmates, which he turns down. At the same time, he actively shields Jewish company employees,such as philosopher Hans Blumenberg, from thegrasp of the National Socialist authorities.

Dr. Heinrich Dräger is one of the few exceptions inthe industry to take this stance, and, in doing so, heincurs the strong disapproval of the Ministry. Onlyafter considerable pressure from the war officedoes he allow a field camp of the Neuengammeconcentration camp, with 500 work inmates, to beset up at the company’s Hamburg-Wandsbek oper-ation. As in all field camps of this kind, the prison-ers are under the control of SS teams. Drägerwerkhas little influence on their treatment. With Dräger’ssupport, the technical manager of the plant none-theless continues to do his best to protect theEastern European workers from SS harassment,and as a result, suffers reprisals himself. Shortlybefore the end of the war, Dr. Heinrich Dräger manages to delay the closure of the camp to pro-tect the prisoners from deportation.

At the end of the 1980s, Dräger is one of the firstcompanies to address the issue of forced labor. It also contributes to the German foundation forforced labor compensation.

Model 160 breathing apparatusfor miners

Onset of gas detection technology at Dräger with thedevelopment of a carbonmonoxide detection instrumentfor in-house production

1933 1934 1935 1937


Expansion to Group as part of“First Four-Year Plan”

Dr. Tiegel-Dräger ether vaporanesthetic apparatus

MÜ type positive pressuremixed anesthetic apparatus

Dräger-Tubes for mobile gas detection

1937DRÄGER-TUBES: A LITTLE GLASS LABORATORY

One of the primary dangers in mining is colorless,tasteless and odorless: carbon monoxide. If inhaled,the poisonous gas inhibits the transport of oxygenin the blood and leads to suffocation. In order todetect this invisible threat, mine workers used tocarry canaries in cages with them as a kind of livingearly warning system. The birds are extremely sen-sitive and react to even the smallest amounts of thegas. Workers knew that they needed to leave themine immediately if the bird fell from its perch. In1937, Dräger developed the Dräger-Tube, which isa gas detection tube that can quickly detect carbonmonoxide in the air. The time for canaries in mineshad passed.

1933–1942

A classicThe Dräger-Tube is nearly the same today as it was 80 years ago.It is a thin, glass tube sealed at both ends. A chemical indicatoris contained inside that changes color if it detects a specific gasor vapor. The amount of that gas present in the air can quickly beread off a graduated scale on the tube.

From A for alcohol to X for xylolDräger-Tubes and mobile and stationary gas detection devicesare now among the standard gas detection equipment. They areused in industry, fire services, disaster protection, laboratories,environmental protection and many other fields. We are now ableto detect and measure 500 hazardous gaseous substances in the air, liquids and soil.

An advertisement for the “people’sgas mask” in Dräger Review

Female forced laborers producing respiratory protectionmasks at the Hamburg-Wandsbek factory.

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Gas protection, once upon a time: Caged canariesreact to toxic gases before they endanger people.


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Oxygen system for militaryplanes: HL a 732 high-altitudebreathing apparatus

1943 1944 1945 1946 1947


22 production plants withsome 7,000 employees

Conflict over employment ofconcentration camp prisoners

Mass layoffs Model D oxygen laughing gasanesthetic apparatus

Iron lung ventilator for long-term use

1947THE IRON LUNG AND THE BATTLE AGAINST POLIO

A major global polio epidemic breaks out after thewar. The illness impairs the respiratory muscles.Thousands of children and adults face the awfulpossibility of suffering an agonizing death by suffo-cation since the conventional ventilators of the timeare not designed for long-term use. In 1947, a doctor from Hamburg named Axel Dönhardt craftsthe first German iron lung, which is based on anAmerican model. Incredibly, his iron lung is madefrom scrap metal left over from the war. Drägerbegins serial production of the iron lung not longafterward, saving many polio patients’ lives afterWorld War II.

1943–1949Polio – a deadly disease“Polio is terrible, the oral vaccine is sweet” was the slogan of a German vaccination campaign in the 1960s. Prior to this, Germany had regularly experienced outbreaks of polio. Between1955 and 1961, over 10,000 people suffered from polio and theparalysis it causes. The number of polio cases significantlydecreased after the oral vaccination was introduced, and therehave been no new cases in Germany since 1990.

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7.000

6.000

5.000

4.000

3.000

2.000

1.000

0

1948 1949

Formation of a general workscouncil

Integrated multi-gas anesthesiawith the Model F closed-circuitanesthetic apparatus

Re-launch following currencyreform

Model 623 self-rescuer withCO filter

The prototype of the iron lungwith a torpedo tube frame

Serial production of the iron lung

The iron lung with water drive from 1950. Despite anunreliable power supply, ventilation could not be inter-rupted. That is why the device used the water supply ofthe water towers, which were common at the time, asbuffer tanks.

1962: Launch of mass vaccination←

Sou

rce: 195

0 – 1980

formerly BGA, from 198

0 on

www.gbe

-bund.de

The number of polio cases declines in West Germanyafter the launch of large-scale immunization efforts.


| 33

Romulus universal anestheticapparatus

Pulmomat automatic ventilatorfor anesthetic apparatuses

The first closed-circuit divingapparatus: Diving Apparatus 138

1952 1950 1951


Model G multi-gas anesthetic apparatus

Oxygen tent for oxygen inhalation therapy

The first incubator for newborns: II-M-100

PA 30 breathing apparatus

Fuel gauge for Volkswagen

1951A CHANCE AT LIFE

Nature created the perfect conditions in the wombto foster new life – quiet, safe and warm. It shieldsunborn babies from bumps and jolts and provides a calm environment devoid of stress. In order togive premature babies a good start in life, Dräger

begins developing incubators in the 1950s. Theycreate a stable, completely enclosed microclimatefor the tiny patients. Temperature, humidity, oxygen,noise level and lighting all do their part to facilitatethe infant’s healthy development in spite of a lowbirth weight.

1950–1952

A protected environment and loving carefor a good start in life

Romulus

Manual ventilation of an anesthetized patient

Romulus and RemusIn the 1950s and 1960s, Dräger developed a number of anesthetic apparatusesfor a wide range of uses and demands. Dräger produced “Remus”, which is thetwin of the anesthetic apparatus “Romulus”, for the American market. Remusenjoyed considerable market success, which was no mean feat for a Germanindustrial product so soon after the war.

Instructions for the Drägerfuel gauge in a VW Beetle

1952ERGONOMICS IN THE OR

After the war, the working environment in hospitalschanges radically and the role of ergonomics at theworkplace becomes increasingly important. Drägerresponds to these new demands with the Romulusanesthetic apparatus. Beneath the gas proportion-ing valves, there is a cabinet with several drawersand a writing or storage tray for anesthesiologists –a simple but effective solution. The integratedblood pressure gauge and the new Dräger anes-thesia monitor for measuring pulse and respira-tory rate are also useful additions.

That same year, Dräger introducesthe Pulmomat. It is a ventilationmodule that can be attachedto all Dräger closed-circuitanesthetic apparatuses. ThePulmomat makes the anesthesiolo-gist’s job considerably easier since anes-thetized patients had to be manually ventilated witha breathing bag prior to the Pulmomat.

Protecting premature babiesOn average, a normal pregnancy lasts 40 weeks from concep-tion to birth. Thanks to medical advancements, prematurebabies born already during the 24th week of pregnancy nowhave a chance to survive.



Summit of Mount Everest isreached for the first time

PA 34 and DA 59 self-con-tained breathing apparatuses

Alcotest tubes for alcoholbreath tests

1953 1954 1956

Development of mobile pressure chambers for diving equipment

Delphin II self-containedbreathing apparatus for recreational and rescue divers

Fabius anesthetic apparatus

The Alcotest in action: The driver blows into a tube until the bagis filled with air. Using the scale, the police officer can see at aglance if the legal limit has been exceeded.

1953THE MASTERY OF MOUNT EVEREST

On the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, theBritish newspaper “The Times” reports a sensation:The world’s highest mountain has been conquered!The race to reach the summit is also a technologicalrace: 8,848 meters above sea level, the air is thin. Itis too thin, in fact, to breathe easily. When EdmundHillary, the mountain climber from New Zealand, andSherpa Tenzing Norgay reach the summit of MountEverest, Dräger technology is there, too: oxygendevices and cylinders. Equipped with an adapter, towhich Dräger contributed its expertise, Hillary andNorgay are able to climb to the highest point onEarth thanks to air from the extra Dräger cylinders.

1953BLOW, READ, FINISHED

Dräger developers, who were still quite tired after a spur-of-the-moment lab party the day before, hadgathered on time for a meeting. However, this par-ticular morning will not be business as usualbecause the employees are exhausted. This givesthe department manager an idea: It must be possi-ble to measure alcohol levels through the breath –using Dräger-Tubes. The first attempt is a success.

It is possible for the first time to objectively deter-mine with a simple breath test if and to what extenta subject is under the influence of alcohol, withouthaving to conduct a blood test.

1953–1957Sou

rce: Jam

ling Tenzing Norgay

Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay on Mount Everest

Company retirement fund“Dräger Sozialkasse”

Central gas supply systems inhospitals

1953CENTRAL GAS SUPPLY SYSTEMS IN HOSPITALS

At the beginning of the 1950s, central systemsbecome responsible for supplying hospital wardsand operating rooms with medical gases. This is a revolution that relieves doctors and nursing per-sonnel of carrying heavy pressurized gas cylindersback and forth in the hospital. Dräger uses itsexperience with pressurized gas supply to furtherdevelop gas supply systems. Over the years, thesystems continue to become safer and the qualityof the gases better. In this way, Dräger makes animportant contribution to the development of theefficient, modern hospital.

0.8 per millFirst balance problems occur, also the sense of sightis impaired. Response time slows 30- to 50-fold.

1.0 per millOnset of real intoxication. Emotions and behavior are clearly altered.

Medical gases from networks: Centralgas supply systems for hospitals replacegas cylinders in patients’ rooms and theOR in the 1950s.

0.2 per millTalkativeness rises, inhibitions lowered, responsetime is increased.

0.5 per millThe sensation of pain is dampened, decreasedvisual acuity and hearing. Miscalculation of speeds.


| 37

Incubator 6000/6500 for newborns with air monitoring

1964 1965 1966

Development of plastic high-pressure gas cylinders

1966MORE AIR FOR INSIDE THE MINES

The launch of Dräger’s BG 174 introduces a muchlighter rescue device that holds enough oxygen forup to four hours of use. The BG 174 is a sensationbecause its forerunner weighed over four kilosmore for the same performance. A smaller load onthe back means more energy for the rescue opera-tion, increased concentration and ultimately bettersafety. Increased safety is a real comfort for themine workers’ families. The closed-circuit oxygendevice feeds the exhaled air back into the device,and an alkaline cartridge scrubs the carbon dioxidefrom it. Once enriched with pure oxygen, the airmixture that results from this process can safely beinhaled again. This principle is the same as it wasin the first device in 1902. The BG 174 quicklyestablishes its position on the global market andbecomes “the” standard device for rescue services.

Vapor anesthetic agent vaporizer

Quality assurance: introduction of group production

1958 1959 1960 1961 1963


Assistor 640 ventilator forpressure-controlled ventilation

First English-language issue of the customer magazine“Dräger Review”

Octavian anesthetic apparatus Dr. Christian Dräger joins the company

Maintenance of F-104Starfighter air supply system

Ceiling supply units for operating rooms

Sulla anesthetic apparatus

1958DRÄGER’S VAPOR PROVIDES

PRECISION ANESTHESIA

Ether is highly explosive. Anesthesiologists andpatients put their lives at risk every time anesthesiais induced. This situation changes at the end of the 1950s when the recently discovered anesthetichalothane quickly becomes the new standard.Unlike ether, halothane is not flammable. However,dosage must be precise. Dräger masters the challenge with Vapor, the newly developed vaporiz-er for liquid anesthetic agents. It is fixed to theanesthetic apparatus and supplies fresh gas flowwith targeted doses of anesthetic agents. Thismarks the beginning of precision dosing in the OR,which had not previously been possible.

1958–1966

The design of Dräger Vapors makes them compatible withanesthesia devices beginning in 1948. It comes as no surprisethat the Vapor is a bestseller. Over 500,000 of them have been sold to date.

The men of the mine rescue teampractice transporting the sick andinjured underground

The first English-language edition of the Dräger Review

Suspended ceiling dome

BG 174

BG 174 breathing apparatus

HFB 320-Jet oxygen system for airplanes

Inkubator 5100 transport incubator

Mine rescue worker with a BG 174practicing emergency ventilation witha Backpack Pulmotor


| 39

Halothan-Cato 10 mobile(field) anesthetic apparatus

1967 1968 1969 1970 1974


Founding of North AmericanDraeger Inc.

Theo Dräger joins the company

Helgoland underwater lab

First 300-bar technology self-contained breathing apparatus:Model PA 54

SMS 1 mixed gas rebreather

Dr. Heinrich Dräger becomesChairman of the ExecutiveBoard after Drägerwerk AG is founded

Dr. Christian Dräger and TheoDräger become members ofthe Executive Board

Oxygen systems for the militaryplanes Alpha Jet and Tornado

Dr. Heinrich Dräger establish-es the Dräger Foundation

1969A LAB UNDER THE SEA

It looks like the pet project of a James Bond villain:The Helgoland underwater lab is an orange, 14-meter steel giant. Thanks to a sophisticated gassupply and pressure chambers from Dräger, thislab makes it possible to stay underwater for weeksat a time, even in frigid seas. It represents a mile-stone in underwater research. The lab will prove itsusefulness already by the beginning of the 1980s.Its purpose is to collect geological seabed data offthe coast of Helgoland, in the Lübeck Bay and inthe North Atlantic. The data is fundamental to off-shore technology.

1969HIGH PRESSURE INNOVATION IN

RESPIRATORY PROTECTION

Until this point, firefighters had to carry two heavycylinders with 200-bar filling pressure to beequipped with the legally prescribed minimum supply of 1,600 liters of air. When the German fed-eral states’ ministries for internal affairs announcetheir plan to equip all voluntary firefighters with self-contained breathing apparatuses, Dräger pushesfor the introduction of 300-bar filling pressure, set-ting new standards for directives, regulations andordinances. The six-liter cylinder with 300-bar fillingpressure replaces the two four-liter cylinders andrapidly becomes the norm for self-contained breath-ing apparatuses throughout Europe.

1967–1974

300 Bar

Researching under pressureHelgoland was Germany’s first stationary underwater lab. It was the base station for diversconducting research on marine flora and fauna. The “aquanauts” had everything they need-ed − even a television − for a stay of several weeks on the seabed, albeit packed into a tinyspace. During the lab’s first deployment, the divers worked for 22 days at a depth of 23meters. The process of pressure equalization before resurfacing was almost like a dreamfor the divers − literally − as beds had been set up in the decompression chamber.

The “Yellow Submarine” lab has been a part of the exhibit the Deutsches Meeresmuseumin Stralsund since 1998. It was completely renovated and today stands as a monument toGerman marine research technology.

Filling station for 300-bar pressure gas cylindersDivers in the decompression chamber

Model PA 54


| 41

1978RESCUE FROM ABOVE

At the end of the 1960s, air rescue by helicopterwas still considered unnecessary, expensive andexcessive. However, as the number of traffic fatali-ties in Germany climbs to nearly 20,000 in the1970s, the notion of an air rescue network starts to catch on. Indispensable on a rescue helicopter:An emergency ventilator is used during patienttransport to the clinic. Dräger sets new standardswith the first Oxylog since the ventilator enablesusers to seamlessly adjust key parameters such asrespiratory rate and volume. The effectiveness ofthe ventilation process can be directly monitoredon the device. Victims’ chances of survival are evenhigher with the Oxylog than they were with its fore-runner, the Pulmotor.

1979DRÄGER GOES PUBLIC

Drägerwerk AG goes public by issuing preferredshares. From now on, it is both a family businessand stock corporation. And the separation is clear:The capital stock is divided into half commonshares and half preferred shares. The commonshares are held by the family and are the onlyshares with voting rights. The preferred shares withhigher dividends are traded freely on the open mar-ket. In the interest of thecompany, one personremains in charge ofmaking decisions, takingresponsibility and ensur-ing long-term success.

PA 80 self-contained breathing apparatus becomes international standard

Panorama Nova full-face mask

LAR V diving rebreather

UV-1 intensive care ventilator

Central electronics department

1975 1978 1979 1980


Oxylog emergency ventilator The company goes public withthe issue of preferred shares

Commencement of electron-ization and miniaturization

Basic research into new materials

Stationary detection devices

1975ELECTRONICS FOR THE FUTURE

The establishment of the central electronics depart-ment puts Dräger on a path toward the future thatleads away from traditional precision engineering.The early basic research soon begins to pay off: As of the 1980s, electronics are increasingly re-placing mechanic and pneumatic technology. Thenew technology catches on well − particularly inthe field of gas detection − with sensors that candetect more gases than ever before, thus produc-ing data that can be better processed. Starting in1983, Dräger begins manufacturing sensors andchips in ultra-modern clean rooms.

1975–1980

Theo and Dr. Christian Dräger atthe Hamburg Stock Exchange

Helicopter rescue operationwith the handy Oxylog

Its look has hardly changed:the Panorama Nova full-facemask then and now

Oxylog



First Malenter Symposium onpopulation policy

1981 1982 1983 1984 1985

First electronic ventilator: EV-A

Permox oxygen inhalationdevice

Launch of Dräger’s corporateidentity

Clean rooms for chip and sensor manufacturing

Capital increase through theissue of participation rights

CCBS deep-sea diving apparatus for depths of upto 600 meters

Dr. Heinrich Dräger joins the Supervisory Board

Dr. Christian Dräger becomes Chairman of the Executive Board

Ultra-clean gas filter system for Biorack on Spacelab D1mission

Evita intensive care ventilator

1982REVOLUTION IN VENTILATION

Over the course of the 20th century, electrical engi-neering becomes more important than precisionmechanics. Slowly but surely, digital technologybecomes the new standard and replaces analogtechnology. Dräger adapts to the times and workswith high pressure on the ventilator of tomorrow.Electromagnetic valves in the electronic ventilatorEV-A make it possible to precisely control the flowof breathing gas and ventilation pressure. For thefirst time, ventilation can be adjusted to a patient’sspontaneous breathing. Graphic monitoring repre-sents another milestone. In addition to numericaldata and text, ventilation waveforms also appear onan integrated monitor. This innovation sets Drägerapart from other manufacturers, who introducegraphic monitoring only for the first time severalyears later.

1985DRÄGER IN SPACE

On October 30, 1985, the Challenger space shuttletakes off on its ninth voyage to space. A laboratorycalled Spacelab is on board to enable researchunder space conditions. Dräger develops a systemout of micro and activated carbon filters that creates

ultra-clean air conditions for the Biorack testingunit, in which research will be conducted on vari-ous bacteriological and chemical processes. Later,Dräger again becomes a part of the history ofspace travel when, starting in 1993, oxygen sensorsfrom Lübeck will become an essential componentof all NASA space shuttle missions for the next 20 years.

from 1924 from 1940 from 1951 from 1983

Reinhard Furrer, the German-Austrian astronautscientist, on the first Spacelab mission

Abstract figures are a relic of the past: The electronicventilator E-VA presents the ventilation waveforms on amonitor for the first time.

A look at Dräger’s logo over timeProducts, brochures, packaging and vehicles: Dräger launched its distinctive corporate identity at the beginning of the 1980s.The blue logo replaced the ones before it and has been the same ever since. According to a rumor, it is suggested that the letter “g” shows a lung turned on its side.

1981–1985


Cicero integrated anesthesiaworkstation

Multiwarn portable gas detection instrument

| 45

Dr. Heinrich Dräger passesaway on June 28, 1986

1986 1987 1988 1989 1990


Incubator 8000

Oxyboks K self-rescuer for miners

Type 720 PF chemical protection suit

New factory building at Revalstraße site in Lübeck

Babylog 8000 intensive care ventilator for infants and premature babies

Self-mixing principle in divingapparatus

Eurofighter pilot air supply system

1988WORLD PREMIERE OF CICERO

Cicero, the first integrated anesthesia workstation,is presented at the World Congress of Anaesthesi-ologists in Washington, D.C. It radically changesthe working environment in operating rooms. Allfunctions, such as gas proportioning and ventilation,as well as device and patient monitoring are com-bined in one device. The ventilator is electronicallycontrolled and operates with an electric motor,replacing gas as the propulsion system. Its monitorclearly displays vitals and other data, enablinganesthesiologists to attend even more closely topatients.

To develop a practice-oriented working environ-ment, doctors in Europe, Asia and America weresurveyed about their experiences. In addition totechnical innovation, a strong focus on customersremains a cornerstone of product development for Dräger.

1986–1990

1989GENTLE VENTILATION FOR THE SMALLEST

Premature babies are the most sensitive of allpatients, which is why they require very specialtreatment. 1989 sees a miniature revolution inneonatal care: Dräger launches a ventilatordesigned for ventilating premature babies and

infants. The special ventilation modes and preciselyproportioned, volume-oriented ventilation with aflow sensor close to the patient have been espe-cially attuned to the needs of the small patients. Fortwo decades, the Babylog 8000 stands for gentleventilation, a principle that is now widespread.

Incubator 8000

The dawn of a new era in anesthesia: An integratedmonitor displays all of the patient’s vitals.

Ventilating infants and premature babies poses a special chal-lenge. The lung is particularly sensitive and cannot under anycircumstances be overstretched. The Babylog 8000 makes itpossible to proportion extremely small ventilation volumes ofjust a few millimeters, which is the equivalent of the volume ofa thimble.

Multiwarn


| 47

Draegerman PSS 500 self-contained breathing apparatus

Babytherm 8010 infant warming system

Theo Dräger becomes Chair-man of the Executive Board

Dr. Christian Dräger joins the Supervisory Board

1997 1998 1999

Draegerman PSS 100 self-contained breathing apparatus

Alcotest 7110 Evidential breath-alcohol detection instrument that can be used as evidence in court

microPac and MiniWarnportable gas detection instruments

Stationary gas detection for the Reichstag building in Berlin

1999CLEAN AIR IN THE NEW REICHSTAG

The Reichstag building in Berlin reopens in 1999.To protect politicians and visitors from attacksinvolving toxic gas or fumes, Dräger installs station-ary gas detection systems that monitor the air in thenew building. Dräger sensors quickly and reliablydetect even the smallest traces of poisonous gasesin the parliament or the party or meeting rooms.Dräger’s gas detection systems guarantee a safeworking environment not only in government build-ings, but anywhere where such safety is critical,such as in semiconductor factories, at power plantsor on oil platforms.

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996


Federal Ministry of FamilyAffairs, Senior Citizens,Women and Youth recognizesDräger as “most family-friendlylarge concern”

BG 4 breathing apparatus

Dräger Interlock breath-alcohol-controlled vehicle immobilizer

First comprehensive patientdata management system

Evita 4 ventilator

Emergency oxygen systems forthe Boeing fleet

Julian anesthesia workstation

1991–1999

1992DRÄGER ON BOARD

At the end of the 1980s, Dräger decides to gain afoothold in the commercial aerospace industry inaddition to astronautics. And with success: Startingin 1992, the recently introduced long-distance air-craft Airbus 340 is equipped with oxygen supplydevices from Lübeck. In an emergency, the systemsupplies passengers with breathable air for up to22 minutes. Other manufacturers begin to takenotice of the successful collaboration with Airbus.Starting in 1996, Boeing equips its 777 − theworld’s largest twin-engine commercial aircraft −with Dräger technology.

1994FIRST BLOW, THEN TURN THE KEY

Traffic accidents are frequently caused by drunkdriving. And while it has been possible since the1950s to measure breath alcohol concentration withthe Alcotest, a person can still end up driving underthe influence of alcohol. A breath-alcohol ignitioninterlock device is created that can prevent drunk

driving. The driver blows into the Dräger Interlock,which is connected to the car’s electronic systems.If the breath alcohol concentration in the driver’sbreath sample exceeds the programmed limit, theengine will not start. At first, this technology primar-ily catches on in North American and Scandinaviancountries.

Governing Mayor of BerlinKlaus Wowereit (left) meetswith Dräger employees

Sou

rce: Jürge

n Matern

The concept of interlock technology has been around since the1960s. Dräger’s first breath-alcohol ignition interlock device wentinto serial production around 30 years later.

Pac II warning instrument

PA 94 self-contained breathing apparatus

Futura respiratory protective mask

Airbus A340 emergency oxygen system

Stefan Dräger joins the company

Alcotest 7110 Evidential


2000–2004


2000THE SHUTDOWN THAT ISN’T

Shutdowns and turnarounds are some of the mostcomplex and challenging tasks that industrial facili-ties will face. All necessary service, maintenanceand repair work has to be carried out within a veryshort period of time under strict safety protocols.Since the entire plant quite literally comes to astandstill during this time, every minute counts. Aspart of its Shutdown & Rental Management ser-vices, Dräger ensures that all safety technologyprocesses run smoothly, which guarantees the pro-tection of employees and the plant in turn. The concept: Dräger provides a single, comprehensiveservice that includes training security personneland providing and maintaining the necessary equip-ment, as well as monitoring tens of thousands ofprocedural steps. Not to mention that Dräger doesthis following the motto: “Zero outages, zero un-expected incidents and zero accidents.”

| 49

Participation in the World’sFair Expo 2000: “the anesthe-sia workstation of the future”

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Caleo incubator

Savina mobile ventilator

Telemetric system for monitor-ing those wearing respiratoryprotective devices: PSS Merlin

Pac Ex 2 gas warning device

Systems contract for AirbusA380

Zeus anesthesia workstation

Joint venture with Siemens:acquisition of Siemens moni-toring business for a 35-per-cent share in Dräger MedicalAG & Co. KGaA

Stock exchange listing on the German TecDAX index

Sale of Dräger Aerospace

Stefan Dräger becomes amember of the ExecutiveBoard

Acquisition of the Americanincubator specialist Air-Shields

Alcotest 6510 breath-alcoholdetection instrument

2001NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 11

Terrorists hijack airplanes and crash into the TwinTowers of the World Trade Center. Large scale rescue operations involving firefighters and rescueteams are initiated. The emergency respondersdashing into the burning towers have to protectthemselves. They need respiratory protective de-vices, masks, filters, gas detection instruments andthermal imaging cameras. Dräger’s response is theEmergency Response Program, which defines procedures for rescue operations. An inventory ofavailable devices and equipment is immediatelytaken, a task force with Dräger employees is made,and special transportation is arranged. Everythingis ready in half a day, which is precious time thatcan save lives − both those of the victims and therescuers − during large-scale operations like theone on September 11, 2001.

2002ANESTHESIA AT ITS VERY BEST

Zeus, the chief Olympic god in Greek mythology, is the namesake of Dräger’s new anesthesia work-station. It represents the forefront of modern anesthesia starting at the dawn of the new millen-nium. For the first time, one workstation unites allprocesses, from anesthesia and ventilation to intra-venous therapy, patient monitoring and data management. Technically, Zeus offers first-rate ventilation and fully automated anesthesia in aclosed system that makes the anesthesiologist’sjob easier. The device itself can be integrated intothe hospital’s IT network.

Zeus

An FDNY fire truck on the streetsof Manhattan, New York


| 51

Stefan Dräger becomes Chair-man of the Executive Board

Theo Dräger joins the Supervisory Board

DrägerSensor XXS: new generation of electrochemicalsensors for portable gasdetection instruments

2005 2006 2007 2008


Cornerstone laid for theresearch and administrationbuilding in Lübeck

Legal form changed to Dräger-werk AG & Co. KGaA

Firefighting and rescue trainsfor the Swiss Bundesbahn

Dräger DrugTest 5000 druganalysis system

Evita Infinity V500 ventilator

Signing of the “Charter ofDiversity”

2006DRÄGER BUILDS FOR THE FUTURE IN LÜBECK

In August 2006, Stefan Dräger, the fifth-generationCEO, lays the cornerstone for the new research

and administration building in Lübeck. The family-run company, steeped in tradition, shows its com-mitment to its roots in Lübeck with this investment.The new building’s architecture and infrastructurefocuses on transparency, flexibility and direct linesof communication. Using new energy-efficient de-signs and a combined heat and power unit, Drägeruses 30 percent less energy than the maximumamount permitted by the Energy ConservationOrdinance.

2008QUICK AND EFFECTIVE DRUG DETECTION

For a long time, a blood or urine analysis was theonly way to prove drug abuse. However, through an on-site analysis of a saliva sample, the DrägerDrugTest 5000 makes it possible to quickly identifyanywhere if a person has recently taken drugs and,if so, which ones. Within a matter of minutes, thedrug analysis system can simultaneously identifydifferent substance classes: cocaine, opiates, benzodiazepines, cannabis, ampheta-mines and methamphetamines. Thedrug analysis system can be usedjust as easily by police duringtraffic checks as it can inemergency rooms or drug rehab.

2005–2008

Polaris

4,600 K

Human beings receive 70 percent of all information using one sensory organ: the eye.Brightness is a key factor in this process. Colors appear most natural in daylight. How-ever, too much light fatigues the eye just as much as too little light will. That is why it isso important during operations that the surgical environment has the best possible light-ing. With its neutral white LEDs and a color temperature of 4,600 Kelvin, Polaris provideseven, consistent lighting that is very similar to natural light. In addition, the individualLEDs are arranged in a way that ensures a fully illuminated surgical environment evenwhen several surgeons are working on the same operation.

DrugTest 5000

DrägerSensor XXS


2010DRÄGER FURTHER OPENS UP

TO THE CAPITAL MARKET

As part of a capital increase, Dräger introducescommon shares to the market, which had until nowonly been held by the family. The capital increasemakes it possible to strengthen the company’sequity basis without giving up its long-term positionas a listed family-run company. The new sharesgenerate around 100 million euros in net proceedsfor Dräger. They will be used to reduce debt andpromote growth. After the capital increase hasbeen completed, the Dräger family will hold a totalof 71.36 percent of the company’s common shareswith voting rights.

2010AREA MONITORING

MADE FLEXIBLE

Work areas potentially subject to toxic gases haveto be strictly monitored. Monitoring can be achievedin two ways: with stationary gas detection instru-ments that constantly monitor the entire facility, orwith mobile gas detection instruments that allemployees carry on their person. The X-zone 5000combines the benefits of both systems. The porta-ble device covers a range of 25 meters and can bewirelessly connected to 25 other devices. If gas isdetected, the device sounds an alarm that can beseen and heard. At the same time, it notifies all theother gas detection instruments.


2009–2010

X-zone 5000

The ear is the most active sense organ in humans, which makes it our primary warning system. Sounds above 100 decibels are extremely loud to the human ear, so a sudden noise at this volume will startle us. The X-zone 5000’s alarm tone has a full 108 decibels. The device for area monitoring at industrial plants sounds a booming alarm the moment it detects toxic gases in its vicinity.

0 decibelsThe quietest sound a human can hear has a volume of 0 decibels.

30 decibelsA low whisper or the hum of a refrigeratorgenerates a noise level of 30 decibels.

108 dB

90 decibelsUrban traffic zooms by at 90 decibels.

140 decibelsAn aircraft’s jet engines boom at 140 decibels during take-off.

Global economic crisis: aninternal turnaround programsecures 100 million euros insavings and curbs the salesdecline to just 0.9 percent

Surgical lighting using LEDtechnology: Polaris

2009 2010

Zeus Infinity Empowered anesthesia workstation

Conclusion of a collectiveagreement for the future for allGerman Dräger companies

SmartPilot View anesthesiasoftware

Babylog VN500 ventilator forpremature babies and infants

PSS 3000 and PSS 5000 self-contained breathing apparatuses

X-zone 5000 gas detection system for area monitoring

Capital increase through theissue of common shares withvoting rights

Dissolution of the joint venturewith Siemens; the medical divi-sion is once again completelyunder Dräger’s control



2011 2012

Opening of the first DrägerDesign Center in Lübeck

PulmoVista 500 lung functionmonitor

Perseus A500 user-config-urable anesthesia workstation

Polytron 5000 stationary gasdetection

Rescue trains for DeutscheBahn

| 55

2011MAKING VENTILATION VISIBLE

What may seem obvious and simple to a healthyhuman is, in fact, a highly complex and sensitiveprocess: breathing. Ventilators assist patients whenthey are no longer able to breathe on their own.Finding the right ventilation setting is crucial. Toomuch pressure will overstretch the lung, whereastoo little pressure can result in a partially collapsedlung. By using electrical impedance tomography,PulmoVista 500 makes it possible for the first timeto see the mechanical ventilation of the lung right atthe patient’s bedside. A monitor displays in realtime how the air disperses in the organ. This allowsdoctors to immediately check the lung’s condition,make specific adjustments to the ventilation settingand start possible therapy options.

2011–2012

2012PURE POSSIBILITIES

Dräger presents the Perseus A500 at the WorldCongress of Anesthesiologists in Buenos Aires,Argentina. The new design makes it possible forusers to configure their workstation to best suittheir needs as they work. Over 100 versions of thePerseus are possible using just the different hard-ware components, shelves and storage spacealone. Adding to this is the range of available soft-ware options, such as ventilation modes or assistance systems.

A look inside the lung: The PulmoVista500 is not invasive; instead, it connectsto a patient’s torso using 16 electrodes.To create an image, the device emitsweak electrical impulses into the body.The graphics on the monitor display thedispersion of air in the lung with differ-ent color gradations − continuously andin real time. This allows doctors to imme-diately see how an adjustment to a venti-lation setting affects the patient’s lung.

Perseus A500

16 electrodes Almost like the real thing: From the induction room to the OR and the ICU, all of a hospital’s key areas have been recreated at the Dräger Design Center. Customers can design and test their workstations here under realistic conditions.


HPS 7000 firefighter helmet

Employee share program

Dräger celebrates 125 years

| 57

2013 2014


2013EMPLOYEE SHARE PROGRAM

As part of an employee share program, Dräger employees have the chance to participate in thecompany. One bonus share is issued for everythree shares an employee purchases. Dräger has a tradition of assuming responsibility for its em-ployees. Already in 1904, Johann Heinrich Drägerlaunched a company program using sales premi-ums to foster employee participation. His grandsonHeinrich, who advocated that individuals becomeresponsible for their own pension plans in a numberof publications on economic theory, established thefirst wealth creation program for employees in 1957.

2013 – 2014

2014125 YEARS OF DRÄGER

When Johann Heinrich Dräger founded a companyfor beer tap systems on January 1, 1889, he laid thecornerstone for the Dräger that we know today. TheLubeca valve, which was the first reliable reducingvalve for carbonic acid, revolutionized the world ofpressurized gases. The technology behind the valvewas applied in many different fields where it madewhat had previously been impossible, possible.Today, Dräger is a company that develops “Technol-ogy for Life”. This technology protects, supportsand saves lives in hospitals, mines, rescue servicesand industry. Dräger has well over 10,000 dedicat-ed employees in more than 50 countries. It is acompany that remains true to its roots and whoseheadquarters are in the Hanseatic City of Lübeck.

The anniversary logo consists of 125 spheres. One sphere foreach year of the company’s history. No two spheres are the same,either in size or color. They are as unique as Dräger’s history.

2013–2014

HPS 7000

18892014

From Lübeck to the world: Dräger has salesand service subsidiaries in over 50 countries.


ANESTHESIA58 |

A pain-free operation

It is said that most people fear pain more than death. Until the introduction of ether-induced anesthesia, patients’ pain limited what a surgeon could do.Modern anesthesia has now made it possible for surgeries to last for hourswithout the patient feeling a thing.

Morphine, alcohol and amputations in the wintrycold of an exposed battlefield − until Ether Day inBoston in 1846, physicians came up with a numberof ideas to increase the pain threshold of their pa-tients. It was the only way that they could performoperations that would not otherwise have beenpossible.

The use of ether marks the beginning of modernanesthesia. The liquid was applied to someabsorbent cotton and evaporated as the patientinhaled the fumes. They weren’t the only ones,though − everyone else in the operating roombreathed them in, too. Finding the right amount of an anesthetic agent is not easy. If there is toomuch, the patient won’t wake up; if there is too little, the patient feels pain. Doctors spent yearsresearching anesthesiology.

Working in close collaboration with surgeon Dr. Otto Roth, Johann Heinrich Dräger developedthe Roth-Dräger mixed anesthetic apparatus. Heused compressed oxygen in steel cylinders and apatented drip dosing system for the liquid anes-thetic agent. However, in addition to the oxygenpressure reducing valve that Dräger invented, thereal star was the injector, known as the pressuresuction jet. It captures the fumes of the anestheticagent along with the breathing gas. This was a sensation: for the first time, humans had the upperhand on anesthesia.

Dräger continued to work together with researchersand users to further develop its devices, inventingits own technology in the process, but also goingback to previous and now familiar ideas. One suchexample is the closed-circuit breathing technologyoriginally developed for mine rescue teams. It pre-vents exhaled air containing anesthetic agents fromescaping into the OR’s ambient air.

Modern anesthesia devices are also designed asworkstations. In addition to the devices’ own monitoring parameters, their sensors also measurepatients’ vitals. They display the vitals on monitors,compare them against alarm limits and soundalarms as needed, making anesthesiologists’ workmore transparent and ultimately increasing patientsafety.

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RESPIRATORY PROTECTION60 |

Working in a hostile environment

Humans face difficulty when exposed to extreme environmental conditions:we are soon unable to breathe at great heights, we can dive for only a fewminutes at a time, and poisonous gases create trouble for us in undergroundmines. It is impossible to work where there is no clean air.

At the beginning of the 20th century, companyfounder, Johann Heinrich Dräger, and his son Bern-hard developed a closed-circuit respiratory pro-tective device for mine rescue teams during rescuemissions. The special thing about this device: TwoDräger inventions came out of it that continue toplay a key role in the field of respiratory protection.The first is the pressure reducing valve, whichreduces the pressure of compressed oxygen insteel cylinders to ambient pressure levels. The sec-ond is the injector, known as the pressure suctionjet, which forces exhaled air through an alkalinecartridge that scrubs carbon dioxide from the air.

The underlying principle is so straightforward thatmodern-day breathing apparatus technology con-

tinues to be based on it. Human physiology is notas straightforward, however. Following extensiveexperiments that he conducted on himself, Bern-hard Dräger discovered that the amount of oxygenrequired for physical labor is three times higherthan was previously thought. His findings continueto be relevant for years to come.

Although the basic technology has hardly changedover the decades, the devices themselves contin-ued to evolve. The advancements include lowerweight and higher performance, a cooling systemfor the breathable air, and electronic displays andwarning devices. Among those devices was theself-rescuer from 1913 that every miner could carrywith him while working in the mines. At the begin-ning of the 1950s, Dräger began developing self-contained breathing apparatuses for gas protectionteams, firefighters and divers.

Human life has always been our focus. That is whyeverything from chemical protective suits, firefighterhelmets, sensor technology, telemetry and commu-nications equipment to thermal imaging camerascontinuously makes people safer when they usethis equipment. This also extends to fire simulationsystems for fire and mine rescue team emergencytraining under controlled conditions.

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If respiration fails

We breathe every moment of our lives because the body requires oxygen. At rest,humans need around 200 to 300 milliliters per minute − the volume of a wine-glass. During periods of physical activity, we need considerably more oxygen. But what happens when someone is no longer able to breathe on their own?

If someone stops breathing, they die. Or at least,that was the case for many millennia. But there’s asolution: Artificial ventilation can resuscitate some-one who isn’t breathing.

The company’s founder, Johann Heinrich Dräger,came up with the idea for a machine that is able toprovide automated ventilation even for longer peri-ods of time when he was on a business trip to London. While he was there, he saw a man whowas pulled from the Thames and manually resusci-tated. His observations and reflections led to thePulmotor, which was developed in 1907 and wasthe first serially produced ventilator. This littlemachine created constant alternating positive andnegative airway pressure. This was how it pumpedfresh air or oxygen into the lungs. A clockwork

mechanism controlled the machine’s inhalation andexhalation movements.

However, simple mechanical resuscitation was onlythe first step in saving lives. What happens if venti-lated patients suddenly begin to breathe again ontheir own? Researchers working on respiratoryphysiology uncovered the solution to the problemquite by accident. Newer ventilation equipment rec-ognizes and supports spontaneous breathing. Theyalso factor in a patient’s age and physical state.

Measurement and control technology with preciseelectromagnetic valves, ultra-sensitive sensors andhigh-performance microprocessors have long sincereplaced the Pulmotor’s clockwork mechanism.According to physicians, “weaning should be aconsideration already when you start artificial venti-lation.” The latest technology goes above andbeyond this demand.

Since 2011, it has been possible for doctors to lookinside the lung during ventilation thanks to the lungmonitor PulmoVista 500. The monitor continuouslydisplays the dispersion of air in the lung in realtime. This information allows the doctor to adjustthe ventilator’s settings to meet the patient’s partic-ular needs. Modern ventilation is more than preci-sion proportioning of breathable air; it is also asgentle as possible on the lungs.

»Kohlendioxid bingt den tot

Sauerstoff bringt das Leben«Sinngemäß (Heinrich Dräger?) 1903? prüfen

VENTILATION62 |


Carbon monoxide is the result of improper combus-tion. The invisible, tasteless and odorless gas canlead to cases of poisoning and even death. Thesame is true for fermentation gases that humanshave known about ever since they began makingbeer and wine. But the warning systems to protectpeople from suffocating, being poisoned orexposed to explosions were modest: a candle thatgoes out when there is too little oxygen or a canarythat falls from its perch, alerting miners to carbonmonoxide.

Industrialization meant even more dangerousgases, including coal gas and methane. This is tosay nothing of the gases produced in the chemicalindustry. Not a single one is very healthy for humanbeings.

Scientists discovered and analyzed the compositionof gases with the help of chemical reactions. Thelab tests, however, were costly and time-consuming.In Germany in 1937, the Dräger-Tube provided aremedy − a miniature lab inside a glass flask. Withthe help of a pump, a certain amount of ambient airis piped through the tube. If the gas in question ispresent, a chemical reaction will cause the color inthe tube to change. The concentration of the gas atthat moment can be found on a graduated scale onthe tube.

What sounds so simple is, in fact, not so trivial con-sidering the approximately 500 gases and vaporsthat Dräger-Tubes are made to detect. What workswell in the lab may prove tricky in practice. Factorssuch as temperature, humidity and gas mixturescannot affect how the tube functions. This is a bigresponsibility, which is why Dräger itself exclusivelydevelops and produces Dräger-Tubes.

The same is true for the sensors, which Dräger hasdeveloped since the 1970s. Unlike Dräger-Tubes,the sensors are designed for continuous gas detec-tion and sound alarms via the detection instrumentsin an emergency. The German Parliament decidedto rely on this technology starting in 1999. Drägergas detection systems monitor the air in the Reichs-tag in Berlin so that fiery debate is the only thingliable to ignite in the building.

GAS DETECTION64 |

Something in the air

In a mine, if a canary fell from the perch inside its cage, that meant therewas danger in the air. However, the human nose often does not recognizewhat the danger is. This is where gas detection devices take over.

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Not all products mentioned in this publication are for sale in every country of the world.

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The History of Dräger

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