Dettol at 90: The revolutionary antiseptic that became one of Hull’s most successful products

Now & Then, a column by Angus Young

A new exhibition at Hull History Centre is celebrating 90 years of Dettol

The 90th anniversary of one of the most popular and enduring products ever invented in Hull is being celebrated in a new exhibition at the city’s History Centre.

Dettol first rolled off the production line at Reckitt’s Dansom Lane factory in 1933.

Four years earlier the firm had hired leading bacteriologist Dr William Colebrook Reynolds to lead a team creating a new disinfectant. Until then, Reckitt had only ever manufactured cleaning products for objects around the home.

IN SAFE KEEPING: The Lord Mayor of Hull, Councillor Kalvin Neal, left, and Reckitt Heritage Advisor Grace Chapman with the Dettol Sword

Reynolds’ team found Dettol could also kill bacteria on the skin without any negative effects. They had discovered the world’s first hygienically effective and safe antiseptic.

The team’s work was tested in a medical trial responding to government concerns over the then high death rate among new mothers. In the trial, Dettol – although not yet commercially available – was used to treat sepsis, also known as blood poisoning, among new mothers.

At the time, over one-in-three post-natal deaths were attributed to sepsis with other antiseptics ,which were caustic and caused burning, proving not only ineffective but also unpopular. In contrast, Dettol could be safely used on human tissue to destroy bacteria and cleanse wounds without pain or discomfort as well as cleansing surgical equipment.

REVOLUTIONARY PRODUCT: An Australian maternity Dettol advert from 1951

The Dettol trial carried out at a London hospital saw the death rate from sepsis halved over its two-year duration. Soon the product was made available to pharmacists for the first time, and today it’s an instantly recognisable global brand.

The new exhibition features the history of Dettol told in a series of storyboards along with vintage adverts. The very first tiny bottle of Dettol is also on display together with the Dettol Sword, an impressive piece of metalwork which mirrors the famous label logo design and was presented annually from the late 1970s to the winner of the Reckitt-sponsored Nurse of the Year competition.

HISTORY: The first ever bottle of Dettol, far left, from 1933, with later versions

Reckitt Heritage Advisor Grace Chapman has curated the exhibition. She said: “I have worked with the team at the History Centre since February on planning this so it’s exciting to finally see it open.

“The items on display represent just a small fraction of the Reckitt heritage collection but we believe it’s important to be able to make that as accessible as possible, so this exhibition is an important first step in that journey.

“The history of Reckitt and the history of Hull are intertwined and with Dettol you have something that is born, developed and still manufactured here.”

DISPLAY: The Dettol exhibition is open at Hull History Centre until August 22

Lord Mayor of Hull, Councillor Kalvin Neal, recalled his own childhood memories of Dettol as he officially opened the exhibition. “My Mum always used to add a drop when I was having a bath when I was little. She also used it on cuts and scrapes, dabbing it on with some cotton wool.

“The thing I remember most is ending up with bits of cotton wool stuck to my leg. Having said that, it’s great that it’s still being made in Hull. It’s a great success story for the city and all the people who have worked there over the years.”

The exhibition at the Hull History Centre in Worship Street runs until August 22.