Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-02-12
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE
HYDROsTATlC BED.

This 10 one Oh those happy tnVentiohs mat nave
sprung from the practical application OF science
ia the wants of life. ltnot only delights US BY
its ingenious novelty and great simplicity. but
commands still deeper interest when we cons-
der the relief which it will afford in innumerabIe
cases Of protracted suffering, where, hitherto.
the patient has been considered in great meas
ure beyond the power Of the physician.
Ia all diseases where the system has been much
ehfeebed. and the patient long confined to bed,
the circulation of the blood goes on so imperfect
" in sumo of those parts of the budy that are
more Immediately and more constantly subjected
to pressure. that they frequently morify or lose
their vitality. The dead parts thus forme. be
come continual source OF irritation, vften ex
haustng the patients strength by STOW decay,
where otherwise every hope might have been en-
tertaned of recovery; and when he does survive.
they are removed soIely by the slow process of
liberation. during tedious convaescence.
The HvdrostatIc bed will mitigate OF entirely
remove these evils. and even when they appear
in a milder form still it becomes OF the utmost
value. from the certainty with which those SOUR.
cps of irritation are removed that arise from the
inequality of pressure IN common bed, and
prevent that refreshing sleep which 1t Is always
such an object to procure.
This bed is constructed in the following man.
ncr: A trough SIX feet long, two feet six Tor
nine) inches broad. and nne foot deep. IS filled
to the depth OF SIX or seven inches with water,
and sheet af waterproof India rubber cloth
placed upon IT. Ii is fixed aud firmly cemeDted
at tie upper part of the trough. being of such
size as Ia hang dawn loosely IN The inside, and
Haai;ng on the surface OF the water, which admits
therefore ct the mast perfect freedom ot motion.
A hght hair mattress i. placed upon the water
proof cio,h, upon which the pillow and bed
clothes are to BE- placed When the patient rests
upon II. he at once experiences the surprising
sutne,s of the hydrns,a;c bed: he is placed near
~ in the same condition as when floating in wa
ter, the fluid support being prevented from touch
inc him, however, bv tie peculiar maiinrr IN
which it Is sealed Theoretically. as It were, With
in the water proof cinih, ard the intervening
mattress Tie h,dros,siic be,' Wa Invented a
few weeks ago in London, under the following
circumstances, by Mr.. Arnott, the we'll know n
and talented author Ui the Elements OF PHYSICS:
"A ladv who had Suffered much, after a prena-
tute confinement, from combination aud sue
cessiun Of low fever, iaund,re, &c. and whose
back had sioughed (mo!tilied) in several places.
was al last go much exhausted in consequence Of
the latter, that she was considered IN the most
imminent danger; she generally faInted when the
wouu,ls in her back we're dressed, and was pass.
inc DAYS and nights of uninterrupted suffering, as
the pressure even of an air pillow had uccasioned
modification. DR. Arn0tt reflected that the sup
port Of water to tlutting body is SO uniformly
dfitScd that every thousaudth part OF an inch OF
the inferior surface has. as 1t we're, Its own Sc
parate liquid pillar. and no one part bears the
load Of its neighbor-that person resting IN a
bath is nearl, thus supPorted-'hat tins patient
81 49,, n,Cr k.,th tch
large sheet of the water. proof India rubber
cloth VAS previously ihro~n-she oeipg render :.
ed sufficiently buoyant by soft mattress placed
beneath hcr-thus would she reposc on the face
Of the water. like swan on its plumage. without
sensible pressure any where, and almost as ii the
weight OF her body were annhasd.
The pressure, of The atmosphere on our bodies,
is Is pounds pei share inch Ut Us surface u e,
because uniformly tlffused, Is not felt. The pres
sure Of a water bath of d ph to cover The body
is less than half a pouHd per.'nch and IS, similarly
unpercei, ed. A bed ha''nS been made On this
plan, and The patlent placed ou 1t. she was IN
stan,ly relieved in a remarkable aes ee, aud en-
ioyed a calywnd tranquil sleep" sac asoke
refresheJ-she passed the next night much bet
ter than usual, and on the following day Nc
Earl found that all the sores had assumed ahral:
thy appearances; the healing frum that time went
on rapidly. and no new sloughs were formed. :
When the pa,ien, wac first Iald upon the bed
her mothet asked her where the down pillows.
which she before had used, we're. to be placeds
70 which she answered. thar she knew not Tor
that she felt no pain to direct; IN fact she need
ed them no more! ''-Dr. .arnotl's Elements 81
Physic, 5th edition.
Ihe hydrostatc bed will be useful, not mere.
" in extreme cases, such as the above. but also
10 every instance were there is restlessness or
want Of sleep. from the rksome feeling commu-
nicated by that inequality Of pressure which is
necessarily preceived in every common bed, and
to which the body becomes 50 remarkably sensl-
BILE, when tatigued or enfeebed as when suffering
from disease.
The sensation which is experienced BY per-
son reclining on hydrosta'ic bed. is uncommon
iy pleasing. 1t is easy TO change the position
with very feeble effort The patient also can
always take little exercise at pleasure. with the
slightest exertion, from the facility with which
the water can be moved-a circumstance which