Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1898.
Complete Specification Left, 14th May, 1897-Accepted, 3rd July, 1897
EDWARD MAGENNIS 22 Church Place Lurgan County Armagh Ireland, Doctor,
of Medicine and Justice of the Peace for the Counties of Armagh and Down do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The Instrument consists of two sides on a spring hinge which can be closed
and kept so by a catch. Each side measures one and a half inches long, one inch
broad and one quarter inch thick. On one side of the instrument a groove runs
almost the entire length along the centre, this is, to receive the knife on the other
side. On each side of the groove are three ridges or teeth each running the entire
length of the side one sixteenth of an inch deep and so placed as to be in
opposition to the ridges or teeth on the other side when the instrument is closed.
On the other side of the instrument is a knife running along almost the entire length
of the side, the knife is broader at one end than at the other. On each side of the
knife are three ridges or teeth corresponding to the ridges or teeth on the other side.
The use of this instrument is to cut the umbilical cord and at the same time
so compress both of the cut ends of the cord as to prevent haemorrhage. This
instrument will supply the place of the scissors and ligatures now used on the
umbilical cord in Midwifery Cases.
I, EDWARD MAGENNIS of 22, Church Place, Lurgan, Ireland, Doctor of Medicine,
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 :-
This invention relates to a surgical instrument for use in midwifery.
In the accompanying drawing which illustrates-by way of example-one form
of the instrument :-
Figure 1 is a view in aide elevation of the instrument open.
Figure 2 is a view in plan of the instrument open, and
Figure 3 is a view in cross section of the instrument closed.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
The instrument consists of two plates A and A' of any suitable size and shape
hinged together by a hinge a so that they can be folded to lie one over the other
or the hinge may be a spring hinge adapted to act to keep the plates open or
apart.

page_text: To keep the plates A, A¹ together in their closed position they are fitted with
a suitable catch such as B preferably of the ratchet type as shown. On the one plate
A is fixed a knife C extending nearly the whole length of the plate, and in the other
plate A¹ is a slot or groove a to receive the knife C when the instrument is closed.
The knife is preferably thicker or broader at the end nearest the catch and is
also preferably provided with a shoulder c acting as a stop for the plate A¹ but this
is not obligatory. The abutting faces of the plates A and A preferably have
longitudinal corrugations or grooves a as shown but this is also not obligatory.
The use of this instrument is to cut the umbilical cord and at the same time to so
compress both of the ends of the severed cord as to prevent hemorrhage. It not only 1
takes the place of scissors but also dispenses with the use of ligatures.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :—
The improved surgical instrument for use in midwifery constructed arranged
and adapted to operate as herein specified.
1
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS,
Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E. Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.