Charles Hudson
Charles Henry Hudson (1903-1962) was an American dentist, inventor and medical entrepreneur
Hudson was a pioneer in respiratory care and anaesthesia equipment innovation. Founder of Hudson Oxygen Therapy Sales Company, later known as Hudson Respiratory Care Inc. (Hudson RCI).
Credited with developing disposable oxygen masks, nasal cannulas, and the Pen-I-Sol nebulizer, and with patenting the now-ubiquitous “Hudson mask“. He emphasised efficiency, disposability, and standardisation in respiratory therapy equipment.
His legacy lies not only in specific devices, but in creating one of the first companies focused exclusively on respiratory support, airway management, and disposable oxygen therapy products. Hudson’s inventions remain foundational in modern anaesthesia and critical care practice.
Biography
- 1903 – Born March 4 in Maryville, Missouri, USA
- 1920s – Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)
- 1930s – Collaborated with Jay Heidbrink (1875–1957) to co-develop anaesthetic gas delivery machines. The machine was well received with Datex-Ohmeda acquiring rights to manufacture
- 1945 – Founded Hudson Oxygen Therapy Sales Company in Los Angeles to produce oxygen masks, tents, and anaesthesia supplies.
- Late 1940s – Invented the Pen-I-Sol nebulizer, a hand-blown glass device to deliver inhaled penicillin in the post-war years — a precursor to modern handheld nebulisers.
- 1955 – Hudson files a patent application for an “Oxygen Mask”
- 1958 – Granted U.S. Patent No. 2,843,121 for a disposable transparent oxygen mask (later known as the Hudson mask)
- 1962 – Died December 13 in Glendale, California
Medical Eponyms
Hudson Mask
Patented in 1958 by Charles H. Hudson (US Patent No. 2,843,121), the “Hudson mask” became the archetype of the disposable oxygen face mask
Designed for low-flow oxygen therapy (5–10 L/min), delivering approximately 35–60% FiO₂. Constructed from soft transparent plastic, with side vents, adjustable nose clip, and a 7-foot oxygen supply tube — balancing patient comfort with clinical utility. Rapidly adopted into hospital use worldwide, becoming a clinical standard
Though not a formal personal eponym, the term “Hudson mask” entered global medical parlance as a brand-derived generic. Represents the broader impact of Hudson RCI, whose innovations transformed respiratory care and standardised disposable oxygen delivery systems
Milross et al. (1989) demonstrated predictable FiO₂ delivery with tight mask fit, validating its continued utility in oxygen therapy
Hudson Pen-I-Sol Nebulizer
A glass-blown, hand-held device with a rebreathing bag and oronasal mask. Developed in the late 1940s to aerosolize penicillin for inhalation therapy. Early and effective precursor to modern hand-held nebulizers generating sub-micron droplets under oxygen pressure.
Dr. Charles H. Hudson Award for Cardiopulmonary Public Health
In 1986 the American Respiratory Care Foundation (ARCF) established the Hudson Award which recognizes efforts to positively influence the public’s awareness of cardiopulmonary health and wellness.
Hudson Oxygen Therapy Sales Company
- 1945 Dr. Charles H. Hudson founded the Hudson Oxygen Therapy Sales Company in Los Angeles. Specialising in oxygen masks, humidification systems, and anaesthesia equipment
- 1962 Following the death of Charles Hudson, his son Allan Hudson (1937–1987) and daughter-in-law Helen Hudson Lovaas (1938–2014) take over the company
- 1970 – Company was moved to Temecula, California. Expansion into humidification, breathing circuits, endotracheal products
- 1987–1998 Helen Hudson Lovaas (1938–2014) takes over as CEO after the passing of her husband Allan Hudson.
- 1989 – Renamed to Hudson Respiratory Care Incorporated (Hudson RCI) after acquiring Respiratory Care Inc. (RCI). Selected as one of the top 100 women-owned businesses in the Inland Empire (1996)
- 1998 – Majority stake acquired by Freeman Spogli & Co.
- 2004 – Teleflex Inc. purchased Hudson RCI, integrating it into Teleflex Medical
- 2021 – Medline Industries acquired key product lines, further expanding the brand’s reach
Medical Patents
- Hudson CH. Oxygen mask. Patent: US2843121A. 1958
- Hudson CH. Breathing mask. Patent: US2843122A. 1958
- Hudson CH. Breathing mask. Patent: US2859748A. 1958
- Hudson CH. Nasal Cannula. Patent: US2868199A. 1959
References
Hudson mask
- Milross J, Young IH, Donnelly P. The oxygen delivery characteristics of the Hudson Oxy-one face mask. Anaesth Intensive Care. 1989 May;17(2):180-4.
- Pioneers in Oxygen Therapy. AARC
- Hudson RCI History
- Oxygen Mask. National Museum of American History
Pen-I-Sol nebuliser
- Davis D. Inhalation of penicillin and streptomycin in office practice. Trans Am Acad Ophthalmol Otolaryngol. 1948 Mar-Apr;52:273-82.
- Davis D. Inhalation of penicillin and streptomycin in office practice. Arch Otolaryngol (1925). 1949 Aug;50(2):156-71.
- Green MA. Aerosol penicillin in allergic patients with respiratory infections. Ann Intern Med. 1949 Aug;31(2):260-70.
Eponym
the person behind the name
