You might find the comments of Julie Schablitsky in Historical Archaeology,
Vol. 40, No. 3 (2006), pp. 10-11 useful.  The syringe she describes is from
approx. the same time frame & references to literature on 19th century
syringes are included.
Allen Vegotsky


> [Original Message]
> From: Claire Horn <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: 4/26/2007 8:40:11 AM
> Subject: Large glass plunger/syringe?
>
> Hi -
>
> This is one of those "has anyone seen one of these?" postings.  We have a
> large clear glass plunger/syringe from a mid-19th/early-29th century urban
> site in Binghamton, NY.  It's composed of two pieces, an outer tube
> measuring  approx 14 cm (5.5 in) long and 2.8 cm (1 1/8 in) diameter.  The
> inside plunger piece is approximately the same length, with glass disks
> attached at each end to fit the outside tube part.  Anyone familiar with
> this?  If this description's not doing it, I can post a photo up
> somewhere.
>
> Claire Horn
> Binghamton University
> Binghamton, NY