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PANAMA CHAMBER HISTORY
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The historical "Panama Chamber" was constructed in 1903 by the Berkeley Steel Construction Company and used at the actual construction site of the Panama Canal to treat decompression sickness in the caisson workers who built the Canal Zone "Locks." It is believed to have been removed from Panama in the mid 1940's and placed in storage until 1964, when it was recognized and transported to Brooks AFB (now Brooks City-Base). We believe this to be the oldest hyperbaric chamber in the world, still in functional use today. The prominent rivets, originally used to hold the chamber together, have been retained for historical reasons. The actual joints were welded and hydrostatically tested prior to actual recommissioning in 1964.