Improvements in Radiant Heat Baths.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr.. 1896-Accepted, 30th May, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Radiant Heat Baths.
I, JOHN HARVEY KELLOGG of 202, Manchester Street, Battle Creek, Calhoun
County, State of Michigan, United States of America, Physician, 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:-
The object of my invention is to provide a new and efficient device to be used as
a substitute for Turkish and Russian baths and constituting an improvement on
such known devices in the several respects hereinafter stated. I have ascertained
by numerous experiments that the employment of my improved devices permits of
inducing perspiration at a much lower temperature than it is possible by the use of
a Turkish or Russian bath, also that my improved appliances are superior as regards
the stimulation of protoplasmic activity and more powerful to promote the action of
the skin and the elimination of carbonic acid.
I have devised many apparatus for applying radiant heat to different parts of
the body or to the whole body and as an example I have shewn in the accompanying
drawings a cabinet which permits of exposing the entire body of a person to the
action of radiant heat in accordance with my invention.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved bath cabinet, with parts in section
on the line 1-1 of Figure 2.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan thereof, taken essentially on the line 2-2 of
Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is a cross sectional elevation on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.
The improved cabinet illustrated in the drawings comprises two main parts, viz.:
a stationary part or chamber, A, and a movable sliding table, B, which is
constructed to carry the person into or out of the cabinet. The chamber, A, may
be given any appropriate shape, it being understood that it is provided at one end
with an opening, as at A', which permits the table, B, to be moved into and out of
the chamber. At the bottom, the chamber, A, is provided with tracks, B', which
tracks are continued exteriorly of the chamber, as will be seen best in Figure 2.
The chamber is also provided in its bottom with an opening, A2, which may
be covered with a grating, C. Said opening which serves for ventilation, is
normally connected to any suitable device for drawing the air from the chamber
so as to continuously renew it therein.
The chamber, A, is provided on its inside with a series of lamps, which as shown
are incandescent electric lamps, D, preferably arranged in series of vertically
aligning lamps.
The electrical connections of the said lamps are not shown, but I prefer to
connect therewith a switch-board in such a manner as to enable an attendant to
light only part of the lamps or all of them. The said lamps are located on all
sides within the chamber, and the chamber is also provided on its walls with
reflecting surfaces, A³, which are composed of mirrors. It will be understood that
by these means the light from the lamps is reflected toward the centre of the
chamber, and substantially all the light is utilized, since the light reflected from
one mirror is not thrown to the outside of the chamber, or to a part of the chamber
which might absorb said rays of light; but, if any light reflected from the mirrors

page_text: should not directly reach the person who is upon the table B, said light will strike
a mirror on the opposite side of the chamber, and thus, by repeated reflection, be
directed again toward the centre of the chamber.
The table, B, is constructed to run upon rollers, F, which travel on the tracks, B',
and is provided with a handle, B2, which permits of readily sliding it into or out of
the chamber, A. The table is provided with a glass top, G, beneath which are
located a series of electric lamps, D', and mirrors are provided beneath and at
back of the lamps so as to throw their light up through the glass top on the body
of the person which is lying thereon.
The electrical connections are preferably made in such a manner that the
lamps, D¹, will be lighted automatically when the table reaches its final position
within the chamber, A, and, for this purpose, contact devices, as indicated at H,
may be employed within the chamber, A, in a manner that will be readily under-
stood by any electrician.
In order to prevent the escape of heat from the chamber during the application
of the radiant heat bath, I provide a curtain, I, which is secured to the chamber, A,
at the opening, A', it being understood that this curtain affords ample entrance of
air for the purposes of ventilation, and also provides means whereby the head of
the person, if desired, may be left outside the chamber while his body remains
exposed to the action of the heat therein, as will be understood by reference to
Figure 1.
The space between the inner end of the table and the adjacent end wall of the
chamber allows a current of fresh air to pass from the opening, A2, upward, and
. over the person lying on the table, to the entrance. Thus a good circulation of
fresh air is maintained while the treatment is in progress.
The action of my improved radiant heat bath does not depend upon the heat
which is transmitted directly by the air, as is evidenced by the fact that the
curtain, I, need not be closed air-tight, and that an ample ventilation may be
carried on during the bath, and yet the heat will be sufficient to materially raise
the blood heat and external heat of the person and stimulate the cutaneous
..activity.
I have made a series of exhaustive comparative experiments with my improved
bath and Turkish and Russian baths, under, as nearly as. possible, the same
- conditions, and found the following results.
The time required to induce perspiration with my improved radiant-beat bath
was less than 4 minutes on an average, and the corresponding temperature of the
air in the bath chamber was about 80° F. In a Turkish bath, the temperature
required to induce perspiration was nearly 100° F. and the time about 5 minutes
and a half. With the Russian bath, the temperature was about the same as the
Turkish bath, but the time required to induce perspiration was almost 7. minutes.
I also found that the internal and surface temperature of the person, at the time
perspiration began, was about 1° higher, when using my apparatus, than with a
Turkish or Russian bath. As to the elimination of carbonic acid, careful
measurements showed that up to 5 per cent. could be obtained by the use of my
apparatus, while with a Turkish bath the highest percentage was 4-07 and with a
Russian bath 3.96.
Another effect of my radiant-heat bath is a diminution of the amount of urea,
chlorides, and solid matters contained in the urine secreted. With the Turkish
and Russian bath, the percentage of urea, chlorides, and solids is increased by 8
to 16 per cent., as compared with the figures obtained after the application of the
radiant-heat bath. The effect therefore is the reverse of that obtained for .the
elimination of carbonic acid, that is, the radiant-heat bath is much more powerful
than either the Turkish or the Russian bath as a means of stimulating the activity
of the skin in eliminating carbonic acid.
I desire it to be understood that my invention is not limited to the exact
construction shown in the drawings, and that various modifications may be made
within the scope of the appended claims.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An apparatus for applying radiant heat for therapeutic purposes, comprising
a chamber having a peripherally arranged series of incandescent electric lamps and
a free central space for the reception of the body or part of the body of the person
to be treated, said lamps being so located and supported as to direct their light
from the walls surrounding the free central space toward the centre thereof,
substantially as shown and described.
2. An apparatus for applying radiant heat for bath purposes, comprising a
chamber whose walls are provided with mirrors on its vertical sides and horizontal
top, the mirrors being arranged to reflect light toward the centre of the chamber,
and lamps arranged within the chamber on the walls thereof and enclosing between
them a free central space for the reception of the person, or that part of his body
which is to be treated, substantially as described.
3. An improved apparatus for applying radiant heat for bath purposes,
comprising a chamber having walls provided with reflectors, a series of
incandescent electric lamps arranged on said walls and directed towards the
centre of the chamber, a table in the latter for supporting the body of the patient,
a passage or opening at the front end of the chamber that permits entrance of the
person, and a ventilating opening at the rear end and in the floor of said chamber,
as shown and described, whereby the fresh air admitted through such floor passes
upward and then rearward over the table to the entrance, as specified.
4. An apparatus for applying radiant heat for bath purposes, comprising a
chamber having a peripherally arranged series of lamps and a free central space
for the reception of the person, and a sliding table for carrying the person into and
out of the chamber, said sliding table being provided with a transparent top and a
series of lamps below the arm, substantially as described.
5. The herein-described table provided with a transparent top adapted to carry
the person, and a series of lamps below the top, substantially as described.
6. The herein-described table provided with a transparent top adapted to carry
the person, a series of lamps below the top, and light-directing devices to throw the
light of the lamps upward through the transparent top and upon the person,
substantially as described.
Dated this 14th day of April 1896.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.