The Savannah morning news., 1903-10-31
HEALING BY MACHINERY.
Automatic Devices Which Take the
Place of Expert Surgeons.


Place of Expert Surgeons.
From the New York Press.
Hospital patients can now be nursed
by machinery. An inventor has re-
Gently patented an ingenious little ma
chine, consisting of a small box, in
which self-registeTing thermometer
connected electrically with tiny bell
This register is put under the armpit
Of person suffering from fever and
when his temperature rises the bell
rings and the doctor or nurse is sum-
moned.
A wound stitching machine is the in
vention of another doctor named Mich
ell. 1t works very much more rapidly
than the old method of stitching by
hand, is painless and effective. 1t con-
sists of case or sheath, holding a
number of nickel hooks or bands, like
those used for the corners Of cardboard
boxes. They are put in position with
a pair of forceps and can be adjusted
at the rate of twenty-five a minute.
Their rounded points do not penetrate
the lower layer of the skin, but only
the ipidermis, and, therefore, the pain
caused by them is very slight They
have the additional advantage of being
very easily disinfected
A most curious invention is that of
IL OOdhiSy lOE d weak
heart. 1t consists of a hollow needle
some eight inches long, made of an al
10y Of gold, and driven by little cleo
trio motor. 1t is so shaped that it
can be used to actually pierce the
heart and inject into it a solution of
salt and warm water, which will slim
ulate the organ and so prolong and
save life. Somewhat similar is the de-
vice of DR.. Cordier, which is for the
,lerfsa eli 1ov-
is a sort of gigantic hypodermic Sy-
ringe, by the aid of which not medi-
cine but air can be injected beneath
the skin of the sufferer. A sort of bub-
BILE Of air is formed under the skin,
and this being kneaded along the pain
full parts, gives instantaneous relief in
severe cases of sciatica, lumbago and
other neuralgia Affections.
For the cure of consumption ma
chine has been devised which can also
be operated from the lamp socket of
an ordinary electric light. 1t consists
of a transformer and what is called an
Audriols tube. This converts the oxy-
hydrogen OF the air into ozone. Ozone
is the active agent in sea air, and one
of the most effectual killers of the
consumption microbe. Most elaborate
machines, of which the controlling pow
er is electricity have been devised for
curing headaches and other tempo
rary ailments, and for the purpose of
massage. One is a sort of metal he'll
met, through which alternating cur
rents of electricity are passed. An
other communicates very rapid vibra-
tions to the head. There is third,
not electrical, but purely mechanical,
which Is used for massaging the liver,
and so curing the miserable pains in
duced by indigestion.
Insomnia is now treated by sim
pie machine, which passes an electric
current through the body of the pa
tient This current is interrupted 200
times a second by the device, and 1t
is to this interruption that it owes
its efficacy. A person kept under its
influence for a sufficient length of time
not only goes to sleep, but is hypno-
tized and becomes absolutely insensible
to pain. In this condition any opera
ton can be performed