The Gebauer Company was founded in 1899 by brothers Charles and Theophil Gebauer and was incorporated in 1902 as The Gebauer Chemical Company. Due to high demand by the healthcare profession, the brothers chose to produce ethyl chloride, which prior to that time was only available by import from Germany. Gebauer’s Ethyl Chloride® was the only local anaesthetic widely used in 1902, since cocaine and Novocain® had not yet been introduced.
The Gebauer Chemical Company flourished under the private ownership of the Gebauer brothers and several patents were obtained between the years of 1902 and 1955. Charles Gebauer is credited with developing one of the earliest aerosol containers to be commercially marketed. In 1901, he patented a re-sealable metal tube that allowed for jet stream dispensing of Gebauer’s Ethyl Chloride. Before this time, the tip of a glass ampoule containing ethyl chloride would be broken off and the ethyl chloride would be spread onto the patient. This allowed little time for performing the medical procedure, and any leftover product was wasted. In addition to the metal tube, in 1906, Charles Gebauer patented an ethyl chloride inhaling device for general anesthesia.
Between the years of 1910 and 1930, Charles Gebauer turned his attention to the manufacturing of tungsten and patented an x-ray tube that contained a tungsten filament. He also discovered that tungsten was ideal for use as an edge on cutting tools and by 1916 he developed a line of tungsten carbide tools. The Gebauer Chemical Company began producing tungsten automobile ignition parts and sold millions of ignition points to the Ford Motor Company before the advent of the Model A. For his efforts, Mr. Gebauer received a Ford dealership franchise in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. The Gebauer Ford dealership still exists today under new ownership. The Gebauer Chemical Company was supplying large quantities of Gebauer’s Ethyl Chloride to the armed forces during World War I and II, where doctors applied the anesthetic on the battlefield for emergency operations. In 1937, Charles Gebauer patented a Dispenseal™ glass bottle and cap that provided ease-of-use for the medical professional. Gebauer Dispenseal bottles with either a fine or medium jet stream spray are still manufactured today. After developing the Dispenseal bottle, Charles Gebauer began to realize the potential of dispensing volatile product using his design, and dabbled in the creation of drug and homecare products using ethyl chloride as the propellant. Tannic Spray was introduced in 1937 and was quickly recognized as an effective treatment for minor burns. This product was sold into the 1980’s. In addition to Tannic Spray, the company developed P.M.C. Spray for treatment of fungal infections, S.S. Spray for medical scrubbing and disinfecting, and Alco Spray for removal of bandage adhesive. In addition, the company developed Elfa Spray (one of the first deodorants) and an aerosol pine scented room deodorizer. In 1952, Charles Gebauer patented a metered dose dispensing system for use of Gebauer’s Ethyl Chloride by dentists for local anesthesia.
In 1953, Gebauer developed a non-flammable topical aerosol cold spray product called Gebauer’s Fluro-Ethyl®. The product was developed for use by plastic surgeons to firm the skin for a procedure called skin planing (dermabrasion). Gebauer’s Fluro-Ethyl is currently marketed by the Gebauer Company, primarily to plastic surgeons, dermatologists, and podiatrists. Charles Gebauer died in 1957 at the age of 84. The Gebauer Chemical Company was acquired by the Rose family in 1957, and Ernest W. Rose, Jr. acted as president until 1991. In 1989 the name of the firm was shortened to Gebauer Company.
Under the direction of Mr. Rose, the company continued to produce unique products for use by the medical industry. Mr. Rose established a close working relationship with Dr. Janet Travell that continued until her death in 1997. Dr. Travell was a well-known physician who studied muscular-skeletal pain and wrote many articles and books detailing the use of ethyl chloride for trigger point therapy. Dr. Travell is well known as White House Physician to Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. In addition she treated Senator Barry Goldwater during his 1960’s election campaigns.
While serving as White House Physician, Dr. Travell, in conjunction with the Gebauer Chemical Company, developed a product designed specifically for trigger point therapy called Gebauer’s Fluori-Methane®. Dr. Travell was often seen using Gebauer’s Fluori-Methane while performing manipulative procedures. She co-authored a definitive book* that refers to Gebauer’s Fluori-Methane as part of her trigger point therapy protocol. Gebauer’s Fluori-Methane was produced until 2004 when it was replaced by a nontoxic, ozone friendly version called Gebauer’s Spray and Stretch®. The Gebauer Company continues to produce new and innovative products for pain management and patient comfort under the leadership of John A. Giltinan, who became president in 1991. Mr. E.W. Rose, Jr. died in 2001. *Travell, J.G.,& Simons, D.G., (1983). Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual. (2nd ed.,Vol. 1). Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins.
Gebauer’s Instant Ice® Mist and Medium Stream were introduced in 2002 as an over-the-counter product for pain relief. Gebauer’s Pain Ease® Mist and Medium Stream were approved by the FDA in 2004 for pain management during injections, intravenous procedures, and minor surgical procedures such as incision and drainage. Gebauer’s Pain Ease is the first topical anesthetic skin refrigerant approved for use on minor open wounds and intact oral and nasal mucous membranes.
In June of 2004, the Gebauer Company moved from its 84-year-old factory on St. Catherine Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio to a new state-of-the-art 58,000 square foot facility located at 4444 East 153rd St. in Cleveland, Ohio.
