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Jitts bottle

Date1970s

Object number00055897

NameWater sampler

MediumPlastic, Metal

DimensionsOverall: 250 × 560 × 180 mm, 3.846 kg

ClassificationsTools and equipment

Credit LineAustralian National Maritime Museum Collection Gift of CSIRO

Collections

Ocean Science & Sustainability

Terms

DescriptionWater sampling device developed by eminent Australian oceanographer Harry Jitts. The object is made of relic sewage pipe and a ‘dunny’ plunger on each end. The Jitts bottle was developed by Harry Jitts, lead scientist on board HMAS DIAMANTINA in the 1960s and eminent scientist with the CSIRO. HistoryThis Jitts bottle is part of the evolving history of water sampling in ocean science practice from potentially the 19th – 20th century. Unlike most of the technology used in ocean studies, physical collection of samples of water has been a staple practice that will not become obsolete anytime soon. Water sampling combined with extra measuring tools, was initially the only way to get baseline data from the ocean. This included temperature, salinity, oxygen levels, nutrients present and more. Now, the ever evolving technologies allow for singular instruments to take many of the readings that a whole suite of equipment was required to before. Even so, water samples are still used to calibrate these electronic machines and serve as backup data in case any information is lost between research at sea and the laboratory onshore.SignificanceIt is significant as a crucial step in Australian water sampling bottle development in the 1970s, when various water sampling devices were ‘lab designed and field tested’ as potential replacements for the Nansen bottle, prior to the development of the Niskin bottle and CTD rosette. It is particularly poignant as an example of ‘making do’ with what you had in the post-war years, and a testament to the engineering skills of early oceanographers in using readily available materials ('dunny' plungers and sewer pipe) to create workable oceanographic equipment.