An Improved Apparatus for Applying Heat to Any Part of the Human or Animal Body by Means of Pads or Covers.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 10th Aug., 1895
COME LIMID DIUIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Applying Heat to Any Part of the
Human or Animal Body by Means of Pads or Covers.
I, EVELYN DIANA TURNOUR SHEFFIELD of 50 Welbeck Street London W.
Widow do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
Having provided a generator of heat or an ordinary electrical accumulator I
then prepare pads of various forms and sizes suitable to the parts of the body
which I intend to operate upon. These pads I make of soft non-inflammable
substances in the form of wool or in a textile fabric such as asbestos silicate of
cotton or other similar non-inflammable material.
Having made my pads of such shapes and sizes as can be conveniently applied
to the head, throat, chest, mammary abdominal, hypegastric or other parts of the
body; I affix to them at the back a coil of either flexible tubing or soft wire.
Tubing when the heat is going to be obtained from fire, and wire when the heat is
going to be derived from electricity. I convey the electricity suitably regulated
from the accumulator to the pad by a wire or any suitable means. The switch and
fuse being some 5 or 6 feet away from the pad. The wire used by me for dispersing
the heat over the surface of the pad would be for a pad of say 5 in. by 9 in. a
24 German silver wire of 44 yards long or proportionately as the pads may vary
in size and shape and coiled in such a manner as to disperse the heat over as much
of the surface of the pad as possible. The said wire is insulated by being encased
in asbestos yarn and is attached for safety to flexible wire gauze on the upper side
of the pad. The lower side of the gauze being filled loosely with silicate of cotton
or fibrous asbestos through which the heat penetrates to the surface of the pad
which is to be applied to the body. The pad being made as hereinbefore mentioned
of soft non-inflammable substances in the form of wool or in a textile fabric such
as asbestos, silicate of cotton or other non-inflammable material preferably covered
with silk or some such material steeped in alum and about one inch and a half in
thickness in a shape adapted to the part of the body to be treated. The tubing
mentioned is made of flexible metal of half au inch diameter coiled so as to
disperse the heat over the whole surface of the pad which heat may be obtained
from gas, oil or spirits.
The fire used may be generated from gas, oil or spirits and the electricity may
be obtained from ordinary machine or accumulators which I connect with the
pipes or wires of my pads in the usual way. My pads here described may be used
dry, so that dry heat only is applied, or they may be moistened so that vapour is
generated and the pads become strong and constant poultices. To each I attach a
thermometer to indicate the heat operating.
In cases of acute inflammation, pneumonia, collapse or other critical states
requiring a prolonged high temperature, these pads can be kept hot for an
indefinite period. Where open wounds or cutaneous sores present themselves,
I may use the pad in the form or shape of a cover, that is to say it is made in a
hollow shape adapted to cover the open wound or cutaneous sore without touching
it. The coil of pipe or wire being attached to the top inside of such covers.
I do not limit myself to the use of these pads upon human bodies, but intend
also to apply them to horses and other animals.

page_text: Having now described my invention and my method of carrying out and
applying same, I state that what I claim as my invention is:
1st. The application of heat, dry or moist by the means of pads or covers to the
various parts of the human or animal body.
2nd. The conveyance and application of heat through flexible tube or wire into
pads for application to parts of the human or animal body.
The whole substantially as herein described.
Dated this 13th day of March 1895.
E. D. T. SHEFFIELD.