Improvements relating to Dressings for Wounds.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 20th June, 1895-Accepted, 3rd Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Dressings for Wounds.
I, ALFRED THAMM, Doctor of Medicine, of Duisburgerstrasse 62, Düsseldorf,
in the German Empire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
=
;
This invention has for its object, to produce a surgical dressing, which in most
cases renders bandages unnecessary, so that the free movements of the limbs will
not be hindered by the same. For this purpose I proceed as follows;
The wound is first covered with guttapercha, gauze, powder, ointment or other
suitable material, if such covering is at all considered necessary or desirable, after
which a suitably shaped pad or lump of carbolized wadding or cotton-wool is spread
over the same, and well impregnated with collodion or photoxylene. The carbolic
solution contained in the wadding has the property of sucking up liquids, in
consequence of which the impregnation of the wadding proceeds rapidly through
the whole piece, and causes the latter to harden quickly. The mass becomes
almost as hard as plaster of Paris, but without producing a burning sensation, as is
the case in merely applying collodion with a brush. If plain wadding were used,
instead of carbolized wadding, it would not suck up the collodion; only the outer
layers would take up collodion and become hard, and the dressing would not adhere
or keep in place as firmly as is required.
Dated this 13th day of February 1895.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements relating to Dressings for Wounds.
I, ALFRED THAMM, Doctor of Medicine, of Duisburgerstrasse, 62, Düsseldorf,
in the German Empire, 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 has for its object, to produce a surgical dressing, which in most
cases renders bandages unnecessary, so that the free movements of the limbs will
not be hindered by the same. For this purpose I proceed as follows;-
The wound is first covered with guttapercha, gauze, powder, ointment, or other
suitable material, if such covering is at all considered necessary or desirable, after
which a suitably shaped pad of wadding or cotton wool is spread over the same, and
well impregnated with collodion or photoxylene. The wadding absorbs the liquid
and hardens rapidly. The mass becomes almost as hard as plaster of Paris, but
without producing a burning sensation, as is the case in merely applying collodion
with a brush.
I prefer to use carbolized or similarly impregnated wadding, in order that the
absorption of the collodion may be more rapid and uniform, than in the case o
ordinary wadding. Carbolized wadding suitable for this purpose may be prepared
n

page_text: by impregnating cotton wool or wadding with a ten per cent. carbolic solution, and
then drying it.
Photoxylene is made from carefully prepared trinitro-cellulose (5 per cent.),
alcohol (47 per cent.) and ether (47 per cent.).
The application of the new dressing is so simple, that in most cases it may be
done by the patient himself, and the dressing adheres so firmly, that prolonged
soaking in warm water is necessary to remove the same. It not only prevents the
edges of the wound from separating, but even tends to draw them together, thus
promoting the rapid healing of the wound.
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 :-
1. The preparation of a dressing for wounds, which consists in applying to the
wound a pad of plain or carbolized wadding or cotton wool and then impregnating
the same with collodion or photoxylene, substantially as described.
2. A. wound dressing consisting of carbolized wadding impregnated with collodion
or photoxylene, substantially as described.
Dated this 18th day of June 1895.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents.