IMPROVE- MENTS IN CATHETERS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Nicholls and Walter James Nicholls both of
Kingsland Road in the County of Middlesex for an invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CATHETERS”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Nicholls and Walter
James Nicholls at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd May
1882.
THOMAS NICHOLLS and WALTER JAMES NICHOLLS both of Kingsland Road in
the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN CATHETERS"
Heretofore catheters have been composed of a tubular linen fabric covered with
gum varnish or such like covering which in hot climates especially is apt to soften
and to get rough and uneven pieces of the outer covering also often chip off and
the surface thereby gets roughened and consequently much needless pain is often
experienced by patients who have to use them.
To obviate these evils we form them in the manner herein after described from
the material known as coraline prepared by digesting paper in various acids and
the subsequent admixture of camphor, oil, coloring matter and other materials
under hydraulic pressure.
The coraline in a plastic condition is forced through a die on to a mandril of
wire. When the material has set around the mandril it is again passed through a
die to render it uniform as it is essential that its outer surface should be very
smooth and even. A solid end of the same material is also cemented on to one
end of the tube of material surrounding the mandril and shaped into any required
form i.e. bulbous, conical &c. On one side of the tube close to the solid end which
has been secured on to it a slot or opening of an oval shape is formned so as to
form an inlet to the interior of the tube. The exterior of the tube is now filed
and highly polished by rapidly revolving machinery and the application of lime,
rottenstone and rouge.
The end of the wire mandril is afterwards gripped and held fast and the tube is
worked loose upon the mandril by hand manipulation and subsequently the
mandril is withdrawn from the tube.
The exterior of the catheters formed in the above manner will remain perfectly
smooth and polished in any climate and their surface will not crack or chip even
if the catheters are bent or doubled into small coils, consequently this great
improvement is calculated to be an inestimable boon to thousands of sufferors
compelled to use these instruments.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Nicholls and Walter James Nicholls in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 2nd November 1882.
THOMAS NICHOLLS and WALTER JAMES NICHOLLS both of Kingsland Road in
the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN CATHETERS
"
Heretofore catheters have been composed of a tubular linen fabric covered with
gum varnish, or such like covering which in hot climates especially is apt to soften
and to get rough and uneven pieces of the outer covering also often chip off and
the surface thereby gets roughened and consequently much needless pain is often
experienced by patients who have to use them.
To obviate these evils we form them in the manner herein after described from
the material known as coraline or celluloid.
The coralline or celluloid is prepared in the ordinary way by digesting paper in
various acids and dissolving in ether and naptha or other solvents and the
admixture of camphor oil, coloring matter and other materials under hydraulic
pressure.
The coralline or celluloid in a plastic condition is forced through a die to form
it into a tube. A mandril of wire is then inserted into it and the tube with the
mandril within it is placed into a heated drying room to set and harden for about
2 or 3 weeks or more. The tube with the mandril within it is then again passed
through a die to render its exterior perfectly uniform as it is essential that its
outer surface should be very smooth and even. The wire mandril is now partly
withdrawn from the tube so as to leave one end of the tube projecting somewhat
from it. A solid end of the same material previously seasoned is next cemented
on to this end of the tube. When the junction of the head to the end of the tube
has set the shaping of the head to any required form either bulbous conical or
other usual shape may be completed. On one side of the tube close to the solid
end which has been secured on to it a slot or opening of an oval shape is also
made so as to form an inlet to the interior of the tube. The exterior of the tube
is now filed and highly polished by rapidly revolving machinery and the appli-
cation of lime rotten stone and rouge. The end of the wire mandril is afterwards
gripped and held fast and the tube worked loose upon the mandril by hand
manipulation and drawn off from it.
In some cases it is desirable to have a tubular web of silk or cotton in the
interior of the coralline or celluloid tube such as has heretofore been used in
catheters as ordinarily made. This we effect by soaking a length of the tubular
web in a solution of the coralline or celluloid material and drawing this web over
the wire mandril before inserting the mandril into a newly formed celluloid or
coralline tube so that in place of inserting a plain wire mandril into the tube as
herein before explained a wire mandril with the tubular web around it is inserted
into the tube. Afterwards the tube is seasoned and the formation of the catheters
proceeded with in the manner above explained. Or in place of inserting the
tubular web into a previously formed tube of coralline or celluloid the web after
being placed on to wire mandril might be repeatedly dipped into a solution of
coralline or celluloid until it has become surrounded with a coating of sufficient
thickness the tube so made would then be seasoned and made up into a catheter
as above explained.
The exterior of the catheters formed in the above manner will remain perfectly
smooth and polished in any climate and their surface will not crack or chip even
if the catheters are bent or doubled into small coils, consequently this great

page_text: improvement is calculated to be an inestimable boon to thousands of sufferers
compelled to use these instruments.
Having thus described the nature of our invention and the manner of performing
the same we would have it understood that we claim the construction of catheters
from coralline or celluloid material as herein before described.
In witness whereof we the said Thomas Nicholls and Walter James Nicholls
have hereunto set our hands and seals this Thirty first day of October in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
(L.S.)
THO NICHOLLS
WALTER. JAMES. NICHOLLS (L.S.)