Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Curing Diseases by Means of Light.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1898-Accepted, 9th July, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Curing Diseases by
Means of Light.
We, ROBERT OTTO and KARL OTTO, both of No. 124, Kopnickerstrasse, Berlin,
in the German Empire, Merchants, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
The apparatuses hitherto in use for the treatment of patients by means of the
light cure consist usually of a box provided with a number of windows in which
the patient is treated with the object of removing the unhealthy elements from
the body by the action of the light. In general after the patient has been
treated in such apparatuses it is further necessary, for instance, in the case of
open wounds, to cause the light to shine especially upon them by means of
reflectors, because thereby the bacilli will be destroyed, whilst the so called
light bath, that is the treatment inside the box, acts as a nerve strengthener,
and blood purifier. The whole operation takes however several days and it must
be carried on separately at one time in the light bath, and at another time by
means of reflected light. This is, of course, very tedious, and troublesome and
moreover, it does not fully effect the desired result, because the entire warmth
of the light bath is no longer sufficiently obtained in the treatment with reflected
light.
The object of the present invention consists of an apparatus which obviates
these draw-backs of the process hitherto known, and effects a simultaneous treat-
ment obtained both by means of the light bath and by means of concentrated
light (reflected light) according as the circumstances may require.
The apparatus consists for this purpose of a box provided with reflecting mirror
walls, which is provided with openings through which the light rays obtained
by means of reflectors can penetrate, for the purpose of causing whilst the pores
of the skin are open in consequence of the light, the concentrated light rays of
the reflectors to act at the same time upon the sore parts of the body which are
to be treated.
The new apparatus distinguishes itself, further, by the advantage that its
convenient use is aided by the tripartite lid. As soon as the door leading into
its interior is opened, the front half of the lid formed of two parts can be pushed
A double shutter
apart, and thus a free entrance for the patient be obtained.
which is provided with an opening and can be fitted to the neck of the patient
is arranged to slide in a frame in the lid, and thus enables the patient to assume
as comfortable a position as possible, in aid of which he may also be provided
with a pillow against which to lean the neck.
In the accompanying drawing the apparatus of my invention is illustrated:
Figure 1 shows a section of the apparatus and
Figure 2 a view of the lid.
Figure 3 shows a section of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale.
For the sake of clearness. the form of the box K is shown in the drawing

page_text: .
as quadrangular, but it might equally well be octagonal or polygonal or even round.
The walls and also the lid are lined internally with mirrors a, which effect the
reflection of the light rays of lamps placed inside the box such as incandescent
electric lamps, acetylene lamps, or incandescent gas lamps. In this apparatus
either glass mirrors or metal mirrors may be used. Between these mirrors and
the wood sides c of the box, there is interposed a layer of asbestos b, which on
the one hand prevents the escape of the heat evolved in the box, and on the
other hand reduces the danger of fire in the apparatus. The box, as shown in the
drawings, is provided with a considerable number of electric lamps d, obviously
lamps of other kind could be used, according as the one or the other is most
serviceable for the treatment of the special disease, and the principle should be
kept in view that electric lamps with coloured glass exercise a calming effect upon
the nerves, whilst the gas incandescent light causes great heat and
the acetylene light hardly increases the temperature materially. The
door e provided in the front of the box, and also the side walls
are all provided with similar openings, which can be closed by the door f, and
through which the concentrated light rays of a reflector can be introduced into
the inside of the box for the purpose of treating the diseased parts by the light
bath. As frequently the heat of the light thus introduced must be reduced,
and also it is often necessary that coloured light should be admitted, the openings
must be capable of being closed by pane's 9 transparent to light. These panes g,
are inserted in the frame so that the hinder edges of the little doors f when
opened serve as frames in the manner shown in Fig. 3. In case it becomes
necessary to cool the light reflecting apparatus completely, there must be supplied
in place of one transparent pane, two thereof, between which a flow of ice water
is permanently passed. As already stated, the lid of the box is made in several
parts for the convenience of use. It consists essentially as shown in Fig. 2, of
the parts m, m¹, ml, the parts m¹, m¹¹ which form the front portions of the lid
are preferably placed in frames so that they can be pushed apart, sideways, in
order to render it convenient to enter the box when the door is opened." The
said parts are supplied moreover, together with the part m with a slide n, moving
in a frame, which contains the opening for the neck, and is also made in two
parts. When the patient has entered the box, and has seated himself upon the
chair provided for this purpose, therein he can comfortably move forwards or
backwards at will, because the slide n can make the like motion. Of course
the slide must be supported in certain positions, so that it can serve as a sup
port for the neck of the patient. The opening of the slide is preferably provided
with a padding in order to prevent the patient coming into contact with the
lamps which are placed in the box, this can be conveniently protected by means
of netting, not shown in the drawing. The water vessel which may serve for
cooling the light is not specially illustrated in the drawing, and can be placed
either immediately in connection with the apparatus, or at any convenient dis-
tance from it. It should, moreover, again be stated, that the kind of lamps
which serve for use in the light bath, is perfectly immaterial with regard to the
principle of the invention, because this will depend entirely from the nature of
the complaint to be treated. It is further optional whether the little doors f are
hinged, or whether they are arranged to move in any other way, or held fast by
springs or catches. In the box itself, as already stated, a revolving chair is
placed and the same can conveniently be provided with a comfortable back so
that the patient can rest easily in the desired position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-

page_text: reflecting mirrors, and provided with openings through which light rays concen-
trated by means of reflectors can penetrate, for the purpose of allowing the said
concentrated light rays to act upon given parts of the body during the time that
the pores of the skin are open, in consequence of the light bath.
2. A modification of the apparatus set forth in Claim 1, characterized by the
arrangement that the tripartite lid (m, m³, m¹¹) possesses a slide n, n' movable
in a frame, and provided with an opening for the head of the patient for the pur-
pose of rendering possible the convenient use of the box for the patient.
3. The improved apparatus for treating diseases by means of light substan-
tially as described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the Twelfth day of May 1898.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.