MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF BODILY PAIN WITH HOT WATER, STEAM. HOT AIR. AND THE LIKE
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Robertson, of 53, Park Street, Mile End, in
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF BODILY PAIN WITH HOT WATER,
STEAM. HOT AIR. AND THE LIKE'
Sealed the 24th January 1862, and dated the 27th July 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Robertson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
27th July 1861.
I, JAMES ROBERTSON, of 53, Park Street, Mile End, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF BODILY PAIN WITH
HOT WATER, STEAM, HOT AIR, AND THE LIKE," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an apparatus for the treatment of the human body
or any part thereof, when afflicted with rheumatism, gout, or other diseases
attended with pain.
The apparatus consists of a water-tight vessel made of tin or other suitable
material, inside of which is placed another water-tight vessel of similar con-
etruction. The inner vessel is so formed and placed that there is a vacantspace
between it and the outer vessel at the bottom and sides, and the space at
the top between the two vessels is covered in with some water-tight material.
The mode of using this apparatus is to place such part of the person as is
afflicted by any of the diseases previously alluded to,in the inner vessel, and to
fill the space between the two vessels with hot water by means of an orifice to
...03

page_text: be left for that purpose, which may be furnished with a funnel as a convenient
means of introducing the water. It is desirable to have a flap turning on a
hinge on each side at the top of the inner vessel, which when fitted with
flannel or other suitable material, may, after the leg, for example, has been
placed inside the inner vessel, be turned down against the limb with the view
of preventing the escape of heat from the limb under treatment. For the
purpose of discharging the water from the space between the two vessels, there
should be an orifice at the bottom provided with a cock.
I have ascertained by experiment that if a part of the body be placed
inside the inner vessel, and subjected for a longer or shorter space of time to
the influence of heat derived from hot water filling the intermediatespace, amost
beneficial effect will be brought about. A pipe-may-be-made to communicate
with the inner vessel by passing through the bottom of both vessels, and may
be brought up outside the outer one with the view of introducing oil or medi-
cated water into the space where the limb is under treatment. Instead of
filling the space between the two vessels with hot water, steam or hot air
may be employed.
The shape and dimensions of this apparatus will, of course, depend upon
the extent to which it is intended to apply the same.
An apparatus may be made large enough to receive the whole body except
the head, or small enough to receive a leg or arm.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Robertson in the Great Scal Patent Office on the
27th January 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
ROBERTSON, of 53, Park Street, Mile End, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Robertson, Her special license that I, the said James Robertson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Robertson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafterduring the term therein expressed, should and lawfully wight make,

page_text: use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS POR THE TREATMENT OF BODILY PAIN, WITH HOT WATER,
STEAM, HOT AIR, AND THE LIKE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said James Robertson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of one of them,
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 afte. the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Robertson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to au apparatus for the treatment of the human
body, or any part thereof, when afflicted with rheumatism, gout, or other
diseases attended with pain.
The apparatus consists of a water-tight vessel made of tin or other suitable
material, inside of which is placed another water-tight vessel of similar con-
struction. The inner vessel is so formed and placed that there is a vacant
space between it and the outer vessel at the bottom and sides, and the
at the top between the two vessels is covered in with some water-tight
material.
space
The mode of using this apparatus is to place such part of the person
as is afflicted by any of the diseases previously alluded to, in the inner
vessel, and to fill the space between the two vessels with hot water, by
means of an orifice to be left for that purpose, which may be furnished with a
funnel as a convenient means of introducing the water. It is desirable to
have aflapturning on a hinge on each side at the top of the inner vessel, which,
when fitted with flannel or other suitable material, may, after the leg, for
example, has been placed inside the inner vessel, be turned down against the
limb, with the view of preventing the escape of heat from the limb under
treatment. For the purpose of discharging the water from the space between
the two vessels, there should be an orifice at the bottom provided with
a cock.
I have ascertained by experiment that if a part of the body be placed inside
the inner vessel and subjected for a longer or shorter space of time to the
influence of heat derived from hot water filling the intermediate space, a most

page_text: beneficial effect will be brought about. A pipe may be made to communicate
with the inner vessel by passing through the bottom of both vessels, and may
be brought up outside the outer one with the view of introducing oil or medi
cated water into the space where the limb is under treatment. Instead of
filling the space between the two vessels with hot water, steam or hot air inay
be employed.
The shape and dimensions of this apparatus will, of course, depend upon
the extent to which it is intended to apply the same.
An apparatus may be made large enough to receive the whole body except
the head, or small enough to receive a leg or arm.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose-I
shall refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures.
Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed Sheet of Drawings represent respectively a
vertical section and plan of my apparatus as adapted for application to the leg;
Figure 3 represents a longitudinal vertical section of a similar apparatus
suitable for receiving an arm; and Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section of
Figure 3.
In all these Figures, A represents an outer vessel or casing composed of
sheet metal, and B is an inner casing, into which the limb affected is to be
introduced; Cis a space enclosing the sides and one end of the inner casing,
and is intended to be filled with hot water, steam, or hot air; Dis the filling
aperture, which is closed tightly by means of a screw plug or other suitable
stopper or cap; and E is a cock or tap for emptying the apparatus when
required. The apparatus for the leg may stand upon the floor, but that
for the arm is intended to be supported on a table in a horizontal position,
and is therefore formed on its under side with a flat base or stand F, shown in
Figures 3 and 4. When in use the space which surrounds the limb at the
mouth of the inner casing is to be closed or packed with flannel, or hinged
flaps or lids may be employed where the nature of the limb will admit of such
application, with a view to the exclusion of cold air from the parts under
treatment, and to the confining or retention as much as possible of the hot air
generated by the heated medium enclosed between the two cases.
Figure 5 represents a vertical section of a modified form of apparatus
intended to receive the head, and Figure 6 is a similar view at right angles
to Figure 5.
This apparatusis of a similar construction to those previously described, but

page_text: its shape is, of course, slightly modified, and it is further provided with a
breathing tube G leading to the mouth ofthe patient. By inserting a number
of fine tubes H, H, through the closed ends of the inner and outer cases, this
apparatus may be used when suspended in an inverted position and filled with
warm or cold water as a shower bath.
Figures 7 and 8 represent respectively a longitudinal section and corre-
sponding sectional plan of another modified form of apparatus suitable for
receiving the entire body with the exception of the head in a sitting position,
a chair being placed inside the inner casing to accommodate the patient.
This apparatus consists of a square or other shaped chamber sufficiently
large to receive the body in a sitting position, and provided with a hinged
door I. A hot water space is formed in the door so that it may be heated in
the same manner as the rest of the apparatus, for which purpose a separate
filling aperture D'and cock or tap E' are fitted thereto. An aperture is made
in the top side of the chamber sufficiently large to admit of the passage
of the head through it, so that the patient may breathe freely during
the time the rest of bis body is being subjected to the action of the apparatus
The sides,top, and bottom of this apparatus are made double, as herein-before
described and as illustrated by the Drawing, and the intervening space
between the inner and outer cases is filled with hot water or other heating
medium.
Figures 9 and 10 represent respectively a longitudinal vertical section and
corresponding plan ofa modified formof apparatus for treatingthe entirebody,
which is particularly applicable to the resuscitation or treatment of bodies
which have been immersed in the water.
This apparatus consists of a long narrow casing or receptacle made with
double sides and bottom, and heated by hot water, air, or steam, introduced
into the cavity or space contained between the inner and outer cases; a filling
aperture and draw-off cock or tap being provided as in all the previous
The top or
apparatuses for the purpose of filling and emptying the same.
cover K of the receptacle is made removeable therefrom, being lifted off when
the body is to be placed in the receptacle, and replaced again afterwards, so
as to confine the heat. This cover is made with a hot-water space therein,
and similar to the rest of the apparatus, and is also provided with a filling
aperture D'and discharging tap E' of its own, as shewn in the Drawing.
The cover K does not entirely cover the receptacle, but is made rather
shorter, as shewn, in order that an opening may be left at the face of the
patient to admit of free respiration and the administration of resuscitants if
required; L, L, are a series of straps or slings extending from side to side of

page_text: the interior of the receptacle, and forming supports for the body, which is thus
suspended a short distance above the bottom, in place of being in immediate
contact with the heated surface of the bottom of the receptacle.
In all the different apparatuses herein-before described the interiors may be
lined with flannel, wadding, or other soft and warm material, or with wicker-
work, so as to prevent the part under treatinent from coming in direct contact
with the heated sides of the apparatus, which, when highly heated, might be
found objectionable; the outsides may also be covered or encased with wood,
felt, or other good non-conductor to prevent loss of heat by radiation. I may
further remark that it is not in all cases requisite that the body or part thereof
to be heated be denuded of clothes or covering, although in many cases it is
preferred to have the-patient-stripped. I also propose to apply wheels or
castors to the apparatus shewn in Figures 9 and 10, for facilitating its
removal from one place to another. In some cases the apparatus shown in
Figures 5 and 6 may be placed over the head of the patient when in the
apparatus, Figures 7 and 8, so as to completely enclose the entire body.
In the two arrangements herein-before last described it will be found advan-
tageous to surround the neck of the patient-with flannel or other suitable
material so as to prevent any escape of the warm air from the interior of the
apparatus.
The apparatus shown at Figures 9 and 10 may be used, if desired, as an
ordinary bath by filling the inner vessel or casing with water, and when a hot
bath is required, if the space between the cases be filled with hot water, the
heat so generated will tend to keep up the heat of the bath water for a con-
siderably longer period than in the ordinary baths..
Figure 11 represents the application of my system to a chair and table
intended to be used by parties liable to be afflicted with rheumatic pains in
the limbs.
The chair is composed of an inner and outer metallic or other suitable
casing as previously described, the space between the casings being filled with
hot water, air, or steam, so that the seat, back, and arms may be kept heated
whilst the chair is in use, suitable means being provided at D and E respec-
tively for introducing and running off the hot water as required. The top of
the table is made hollow, and is filled with hot water through the aperture
at D, a cock E on the under side serving for the emptying of the same. The
base or plinth Nis also made to contain hot water or other convenient heating
medium, so as to form a foot warmer A lamp O is placed inside the hollow
pedestal P of the table for the purpose of preventing the water in the top
from cooling too rapidly,suitable air vents a, a, being made round the pedestal

page_text: to supply air to the lamp. Q represents a curtain or drapery (shewn partly in
section in the Drawing), which may be attached round the top of the table and
secured to the base thereof, with an opening for the entrance of the legs of the
patient, which are thus protected from the external cold air. The outer and
inner casings A and B, in all these various modifications of my apparatus,
should be connected together by suitable stays, as shewn at b, b, in many of
the Figures, and although I prefer to make such cases of tinned sheet iron,
any other metal or material suitable for the purpose may be employed. These
apparatuses may be made in all sizes and of any shape required, as will be
evident from the examples already given in my Drawings and description.
In some cases I propose to construct my apparatus of a combination of
different metals or alloys with a view to the obtainment of a galvanic action,
but I by no means confine or restrict myself to any particular substance or
material or combinations of different substances or materials when making the
apparatuses herein-before described.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
1st. The general constructions and arrangements of apparatus for the
treatment of the human body or parts thereof when afflicted with pain, as
herein-before described.
2nd. The application and use of a receptacle or vessel surrounded by hot
water, steam, or hot air, and intended to receive the whole or a part of the
human body for the purpose of applying heat thereto and allaying bodily pain
as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Robertson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
JAMES ROBERTSON. (L.S.)