IMPROVEMENTS IN BATHING APPARATUS, APPLICABLE PRINCIPALLY FOR HORSES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BATHING APPARATUS, APPLICABLE PRINCIPALLY FOR HORSES."
- A communication from abroad by The Chevalier Achille Angelini,
Major-General and Aide-de-camp to His Majesty the King of Italy, of
29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
April 1867.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BATHING APPARATUS, APPLICABLE PRINCIPALLY FOR
HORSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the improved application of hot and cold baths,
either local or general, in all situations, more especially to horses suffering
from disease. There is at present an absolute want in the veterinary art of an
apparatus possessing at once the advantage of being readily applied, certain in
its results, and economical; the lack of such an aid is often the cause of
animals being rendered unservicable which are only subject to slight maladies
but which are increased in virulence through the insufficient means of bathing.
or dressing available. Hitherto it has been very difficult to obtain a complete
bath for such subjects; 1st, because for such purpose it is necessary to be.

page_text: near a river or stream; 2ndly, because a horse often refuses to walk if it
increases his sufferings; 3rdly, because such baths can only be taken in the
bent of summer. The old system of bathing the legs by local applications at
intervals either by means of jets or aspersions presents the following objections
which should be sufficient to cause its rejection by practical men:-1st, it
produces sudden changes of heat and cold, often causing dangerous reactions;
2ndly, it often happens, through negligence, carelessness, or fatigue, that the
person charged with the duty of dressing or bathing the wound, by leaving
the sore uncovered and exposing it to the air, irritates and inflames it to such
an extent as to render a cure difficult or impossible; as a remedy for these
objections I adopt a means which is very simple in its application and at same
time permits of the medicated liquid remaining for a greater or less time on
the diseased part under treatment.
The apparatus of this Invention further enables one. to dispense with that
incessant attention which is practically unattainable, especially in cavalry
regiments where the sick horses are confided to the care of soldiers and
grooms; this frequent cause of the mortality, among horses more especially,
I propose to remedy by the employment of portable bathing apparatus formed
of vulcanized india-rubber or other impervious materials.
Local Baths. These baths are formed of funnel-shaped bags or tubes,
which if adapted to the shape of the legs must still be of sufficient size from
the hoof upwards to contain either ice or liquids; inside this tube,, at the
bottom part next the hoof, I apply leather to prevent the shoe from chafing it
while pressure is applied on the outside above the hoof to keep it in position.
The mouth of the tube is kept open by a ring of some flexible material, to
which are attached small eyes and cords for suspending the tube to a crupper
or other band provided for the purpose. The tube may be further introduced
throughout its length as a lining for the bands supporting it.
General Bath. This consists of a large bag of impervious material, having
four large holes at the centre with funnel-shaped mouths, each provided with
a tube which may be opened and closed at will for changing the water. The
horse's legs are introduced into the four openings in the bag, which is then
raised so that the central part shall approach within about eight inches of the
belly, the lateral edges being suspended above the horse by cords passing
round fixed points. Below the bag other large straps slide in rings attached
thereto, and being fixed at their ends may serve, if necessary, to support not
only the apparatus but the whole weight of the horse if weak or restless. The
horse should be securely held by a well-padded halter and two straps fixed to
the wall in such position that the head shall be above the level of the bath and

page_text: out of the apparatus. The horse should also be placed between two bars to
prevent his moving sideways.
The advantages of the local bath apparatus above described are, 1st, that
they cost little; 2ndly, they may be used for hot or cold baths; 3rdly, there
is no escape of liquid; 4thly, the bath may be applied for any length of time
without attention; 5thly, the horse is not rendered restless by repeated
aspersions as on the old plan; 6thly, the wound or sore being always covered
by the liquid will not be exposed to the air; 7thly, the diseased part being
covered by the liquid and cloth the horse cannot be irritated by flies or other
insects, nor bite or scratch it.
The general baths are useful, 1st, for either general or local rheumatism
produced by changes of temperature, by suppressed perspiration, or ill treatment,
and for various other diseases to which horses are liable.
The above apparatus is also applicable to persons suffering from diseases of
the extremities who are generally confined to their rooms, the apparatus being
made of suitable form for each case. Thus provided the patients may perform
their avocations without inconvenience during the time the bath is locally
applied, and by remaining in position for a considerable time it will hasten a
cure in many cases. I would finally observe that I reserve the right of modi-
fying the arrangements herein described without varying the principle of the
Invention.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th September 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 58, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Clark, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from-time to time, and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,

page_text: within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BATHING APPARATUS,
APPLICABLE PRINCIPALLY FOR HORSES," a communication to me from abroad by
The Chevalier Achille Angelini, Major-General and Aide-de-camp to His
Majesty the King of Italy, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say)-
This Invention relates to the improved application of hot and cold baths,
either local or general, in all situations, more especially to borses suffering from
disease. There is at present an absolute want in the veterinary art of an
apparatus possessing at once the advantage of being readily applied, certain in
its results, and economical, the lack of such an aid is often the cause of animals
being rendered unserviceable although only subject to slight maladies, but which
are increase. in virulence through the insufficient means of bathing or dressing
available. Hitherto it has been very difficult to obtain a complete bath for
sick subjects; 1st, because for such purpose it is necessary to be near a river
or stream; 2ndly, because a horse often refuses to walk if it increases his
sufferings, and 3rdly, because such baths can only be taken in the heat of
the summer. The old system of bathing the legs by local applications at
intervals, either by means of jets or aspersions, presents the following objections
which should be sufficient to cause its rejection by practical men:-1st, it
produces sudden changes of heat and cold, often causing dangerous reactions;
2ndly, it often happens, through negligence, carelessness, or fatigue, that the
person charged with the duty of dressing or bathing the wound, by leaving the
sore uncovered and exposing it to the air, irritates it and inflames it to such an
extent as to render a cure difficult or impossible. As a remedy for these
objections I adopt a means which is very simple in its application and at same
time permits of the medicated liquid remaining for a greater or less time on
the diseased part under treatment.

page_text: . The apparatus of this Invention further enables one to dispense with that
incessant attention which is practically unattainable, especially in cavalry
regiments where the sick horses are confined to the care of soldiers and grooms:
This frequent cause of the mortality among horses more especially I propose
to remedy by the employment of portable bathing apparatus formed of
vulcanized india-rubber or other impervious materials.
Local Baths. These baths, which are illustrated in Figure 1 of the accom-
panying Drawings, are formed of a funnel-shaped tube or bag a, a, if to be
adapted to the shape of the legs of sufficient size from the hoof upwards to
contain either ice or liquids; inside this tube at the bottom part next the hoof
I apply leather to prevent the shoe from chafing it, while a tie b is applied on
the outside above the hoof to keep it in position. The mouth of the tube is
kept open by a ring of some flexible material, to which are attached small
eyes c and cords d for suspending the tube to a collar e or crupper for other
band provided for the purpose. The tube may further be introduced throughout
its length into the linings of the bands supporting it.
General Bath. This consists, as shown in Figure 2, of a large bag of
impervious material 9 having four large holes at the centre with funnel-shaped
mouths each provided with a tube g of the form previously described, which
may be opened and closed at will for changing the water. The horse's legs
are introduced into the four openings h in the bag, which is then raised so that
the central part shall approach within about eight inches of the belly, the
lateral edges being suspended above the horse by cords i passing round fixed
points. The horse's body will assist in supporting the lower part of the bag
by the aid of straps j. Below the bag other large straps k slide in rings
attached thereto, and being fixed at their ends to the posts m may serve if
necessary to support not only the apparatus but the whole weight of the horse
if weak or restless. The horse should be securely held by a well-padded halter
and two straps fixed to the wall in such position that the head shall be above
the level of the bath and out of the apparatus; the horse should also be placed
between two bars to prevent his moving sideways.
The advantages of the local apparatus above described are, 1st, that they
cost little; 2ndly, they may be used for hot or cold baths; 3rdly, there is
no escape of liquid; 4thly, the bath may be applied for any length of time
without attention; 5thly, the horse is not rendered restless by repeated
aspersions as on the old plan; 6thly, the wound or sore being always covered
by the liquid will not be exposed to the air; 7thly, the diseased part being
covered by the liquid and cloth the horse cannot be irritated by flies or other
insects, nor bite nor scratch it.

page_text: The general baths are useful, 1st, for either general or local rheumatism
produced by changes of temperature, by suppressed perspiration, or ill treatment,
and for all other diseases to which horses are liable.
The above apparatus is also applicable to persons suffering from diseases of
the extremities who are generally confined to their rooms, the apparatus being
made of suitable form for each case. Thus provided the patients may perform
their avocations without inconvenience during the time the bath is locally
applied, and remaining in position for a considerable time it will hasten a cure
in many cases. I would finally observe that I reserve the right of modifying
the arrangements herein described without varying the principle of the
Invention.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st, the general application of continuous baths in manner described which
possess great advantages as compared with the intermittent bathing by means
of jets or aspersions hitherto in use for curing various diseases both of the
human frame and of animals, all as herein-before described.
2ndly, I claim the elastic funnel-shaped bags or tubes to be used for local
applications in the manner described.
3rdly, I claim the mode of disposing and suspending a large bag or case of
impervious material with bags for the legs in the case of general baths as and
for the purposes described.
4thly, I claim placing the animal receiving a general bath in a box or case
similar to those in use for transporting horses at sea in the manner described.
5thly, I claim the application of the tubes or bags before described for local
baths for treating diseases of the human frame.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
W. CLARK. (L.B.)