AN IMPROVED POULTICE
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George White, of 5, Laurence Pountney Lane,
Cannon Street, City, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED POULTICE."-
A communication from Dr. Antelme, of France.
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration, on
the 27th December 1856, pursuant to the 9th section of the Patent Law
Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
WHITE, of 5, Laurence Pountney Lane, Cannon Street, City, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "AN IMPROVED POULTICE,"
and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made
solemn declaration that the same is a communication made to me from
Dr. Antelme, of France, a foreigner residing abroad.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George White, do hereby declare that
the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully describe:
the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be
performed (that is to say) :-
This improved or artificial poultice consists of amadon (agaric), in a more
or less finely divided state, introduced in a thin bag, in order that the entire

page_text: may serve as a vehicle for the moistened-medacamental substances to be em-
ployed on the body, instead of an ordinary poultice of cataplasm. The bag which
I prefer, giving a flat thin form, must have at least one side or surface pervious,
and I prefer making the other side or surface of any suitable impervious
substance, such, for instance, as leather, india-rubber, gutta percha, or any.
other suitable substance, or have this side provided with a layer or layers of
any suitable impervious coating or varnish. The aimadon having been intro-
duced between the said two surfaces, the borders are to be duly sewn or other-
wise fixed together, so as to offer a flat bag of a square or any other suitable
form. The mode of using this artificial poultice consists in moistening or
impregnating them with the medicamental substances in a moistened state, a
decoction of the same, or in any suitable form, thus, for instance, in a case of a
cataplasm, the moistened mustard flour may be spread over the pervious side
of the poultice. The poultice is then fixed to the body with the pervious side
or surface applied to the skin, the other or impervious side preventing the too
quick escape of the moisture and heat from the poultice.
Having now described the nature of the Invention, and the manner in
which the same is put into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to any particular size or shape of these artificial poultices, or
to the nature of the impervious substances with which I prefer covering one
side or surface of the same; but that what I claim as the Invention consists
in the employing amadon in a more or less finely divided state, alone or mixed
with any other suitable substance or substances, and filling therewith thin
bags, one side of which at least is left pervious to moisture and air, which bags
are to be applied as poultices or cataplasm to the body, the amadon serving
chiefly as a vehicle for the medicamental substances.
In witness whereof, I, the said George White, have' hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of December,' in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
W. NORTON.
GEO. WHITE. (L.S.). ·3