Improvements in Aerotherapeutical Apparatus for Promoting Respiration and for other Purposes.
Year: 1887

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Aerotherapeutical Apparatus for Promoting
Respiration and for other Purposes.
I, Dr. CHARLES BREUILLARD, of 5, Avenue de Messine, Paris, France, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to pneumatic apparatus for application to the body in order
to produce certain phenomena in aerotherapy, and particularly for promoting
respiration or causing successive inspirations and expirations.
My apparatus can assume various forms according to the purposes for which it
is used.
The improved apparatus sometimes comprises a box in the form of a bath and
provided with a seat upon which the patient can sit. It is also provided with a
cover having a collar of soft. indiarubber, which is designed to fit around the neck
of the patient.
A tight joint between the box and the cover is obtained by means of an india-
rubber band which covers the projecting edges of the cover and box.
From
The seat is enclosed beneath to form a vacuum chamber, which chamber is in
communication with a vacuum or suction apparatus. Upon the lower part of the
vacuum chamber is a pipe terminating in a cock or in a cylinder enclosing a piston
which enables the interior of the apparatus to be opened to the vacuum.
the same cock or cylinder extends a second pipe communicating with the atmosphere.
The apparatus which I prefer to use for creating the vacuum is a steam ejector fed
by a steam boiler which is heated by a spirit lamp.
By means of the cock or piston the patient can establish communication between
the interior of the apparatus and the vacuum chamber when he wishes to promote
nspiration, and between the interior of the box and the atmosphere when he wishes to
cause expiration.
With this form of apparatus the vacuum acts on the whole body.
If it is desired that the vacuum should only act upon the bust or trunk of the body,
t is made in the form of a cuirass.
This cuirass which is composed of pasteboard, hard leather, hardened indiarubber,
etal, or any other resistive material rests upon the shoulders of the patient, and is
rovided at the lower part with a skirt of supple indiarubber which is applied upon
he abdomen or upon the thighs, according as the cuirass itself extends more or less
ownwards. This skirt is maintained in position by a broad belt, or, more simply, for
man by the pantaloons, and perfect tightness is ensured.

page_text: The skirt has also two sleeves likewise of soft indiarubber, into which the patient
places the lower part of the arms.
The upper part of the cuirass is provided with a collar of indiarubber, which is
applied upon the neck of the patient and fixed by a cravat.
In front the cuirass is provided with a nipple to which the pipe which communicates
with the vacuum apparatus is secured; a second pipe can communicate with the
atmosphere when desired, this pipe being provided or not with a cock or other closing
device. When the patient closes this second pipe, a vacuum is produced in the cuirass
causing an inspiration. By opening this pipe communication with the atmosphere is
established, the vaccuum accordingly disappears in the cuirass and an expiration is
produced.
To further facilitate the respirations, a mask enclosing the nose and mouth can
be applied upon the face, in which mask a vacuum is created when no vacuum exists
in the cuirass or vice versa.
If the vacuum is to act solely
constituting the pectoral plate.
of indiarubber or other elastic
with the chest of the patient.
upon the chest, the apparatus is composed of a plate
This plate has bent edges which serve to fix a lining
material ensuring the hermetic contact of the plate
This plate is connected with a dorsal cushion by steel springs or a band of elastic
fabric.
From the said dorsal cushion extend two bands which passing below the arms are
fixed to knobs or buttons at the upper part of the pectoral plate.
The pectoral plate is provided with an orifice connected by a flexible pipe with
the vacuum apparatus and having a cock or piston. Every time that communication
is established a relative vacuum is produced upon the chest of the patient, which
promotes inspiration; expiration is produced naturally.
If it is desired to cause, at the same time as the respiration, the inhalation of steam
or gases under pressure, from mineral waters for example, my apparatus comprises
glass vessel in which the mineral or other water is placed and a taibe, likewise of glass,
supported upon the bottom of the said vessel by feet. The upper part of the tube is
in communication with the vacuum apparatus, and also with the atmosphere through
a pipe which is connected to a mask provided with two cocks or pistons, serving for
producing the inspirations and expirations.
When the glass tube is placed in communication with the vacuum, the water
contained in the said vessel rises in the said tube, but when the action of the vacuum
ceases the water descends again, producing inspiration. The air which arrives at the
mask is thus under pressure and impregnated with the substances contained in the
vessel.
This apparatus can assume various arrangements and can comprise several tubes
which are connected with a single reservoir.
The dimensions of the apparatus in which the vacuum is produced can vary
considerably, and it may be of any desirable shape, for instance, in the form of
a cup.
This cup comprises a body of hardened indiarubber, bone, ivory, metal or other
suitable material, upon which are fixed on the one hand a small collar and a plug
having a hole. A pipe which terminates in the interior of the cup communicates
with the vacuum apparatus. By placing the finger upon the hole, a more or less
great depression can be produced in the cup according to the dimensions o
the cup.
By passing the cup over the body or over certain parts of it a kind o
pneumatic shampooing is produced, which promotes the proper action of the skin.
Dated this 28th day of January 1886
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Respiration and for other Purposes.
1, CHARLES BREUILLARD, of 30 Boulevard St. Germain Paris in the Republic of
France, Doctor of Merlecine 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in aero-therapeutical apparatus for promoting
respiration and for other purposes, and my principal object is to incite and facilitate
respiration by producing successive inhalations and exhalations almost without effort
on the part of the individual.
This object may be attained in different ways according to the part of the body to
be operated upon, but they are all based on the same principle.
And in order that my invention may be better understood I have caused to be
appended hereunto one sheet of drawings marked with letters of reference indicating
like parts in the various figures.
If the whole body is to be operated upon the apparatus takes the form represented
by Figs. 1 & 2, of the annexed drawing, which shows it in a longitudinal section and
elevation.
It is composed of a kind of hath chamber A, provided with a seat B, on which the
individual can be seated, and of a cover C provided with a soft india-rubber collar D,
which is fixed on the neck by means of a band.
The tightness of the chamber A with the lid is obtained by an india-rubber
packing a.
The seat B which forms the vacuum reservoir, is in communication by the pipe b,
with a vacuum source or any other aspiration.
It is also provided with a connection from which branches another pipe e, the end
of which is furnished with a tap or piston valve d, which serves to put the interior
of the apparatus in communication with the vacuum; on this tap or piston is branched
another pipe e communicating with the atmosphere.
The interior of the chamber A is also in communication with the atmosphere by
vacuum gauge S, which consists simply of a graduated tube, U shaped, and more
or less full of water, according to the degree of rarefaction of the air that is to be
produced.
If this degree is exceeded, the water will rise up in the inner branch of the gauge
nd accumulate in the ball, the air arrives from outside in smaller or larger
uantities, and thus regulates the desired atmospheric rarefaction.
The apparatus I suitably use in this case for producing a vacuum, consists of a
mall steam generator E heated by a spirit lamp or any other means, but this
paratus can be replaced by a hand or steam pump, a ventilator, or other means
hich will produce a vacuum.

page_text: By means of the tap or piston valve d, the individual can establish communication
with the vacuum & facilitate an inhalation.
An exhalation is produced by making the interior of the chamber A communicate
with the atmosphere. If the apparatus is to act upon the upper portion of the body
only, it is made the form of a jacket F, see Fig. 3.
This jacket F may be made of paste-board, hard leather, india-rubber, metal or any
other strong material, and is made to rest on the shoulders of the individual, and
furnished at the lower part with a continuation G of india-rubber fitting on the belly
and thighs.
5
The continuation G is held by a large gymnastic belt or simply by the individual's 1
trousers, and a perfect tightness is assured.
The continuation G possesses two arms H, H, of soft india-rubber, in which the
individual puts his arms and hands.
The upper part of the jacket F is provided with a soft india-rubber collar 1, which
is applied to the neck of the individual, and fastened thereto by a band.
The front of the jacket F is provided with two tube connections e &, and a tap or
valve, by means of which and the aid of india-rubber pipes, communication can be
established between the jacket and vacuum apparatus and the atmosphere.
When the individual closes the tap or valve a vacuum is produced in the jacket F,
& on inhalation forced on, and by opening the tap, the communication with the
atmosphere is re-established, the vacuum disappears in the jacket F, and the exhalation
takes place.
If the apparatus should act on a special and limited region of the chest it is made
of the form as shown in Figs. 4 & 5.
It is composed of a plate constituting the pectoral plate; this plate has bent
edges g
which serve to hold a pad h, of india-rubber or other clastic material,
and thus ensuring a hermetical contact, between the plate and the chest of the
individual.
This plate is bound to a dorsal pad K by the steel springs L or a strap of any
elastic material whatever.
The said dorsal pad is furnished with two straps M, M, passing under the arms of
the patient, the end pressing on the upper part of the pectoral plate.
The pectoral plate is provided with an opening to which is attached a flexible pipe N,
which is put in communication with the vacuum apparatus by the tap or piston
valve i.
Each time that this communication is established, a relative vacuum is formed on
the chest of the individual which incites an inhalation limited to the region, or rather,
a dilation of a special region of the thorax.
The exhalation produces itself quite naturally by permitting the atmosphere to enter
as in the case of the jacket herein before described.
If it is wished to obtain at the same time an automatic inhalation, as well as ar
automatic exhalation, the apparatus takes the form shown in Fig. 6.
It is composed of a vessel P in which water is poured; a tube Q surmounted by a
globe all in glass, and supported on the bottom by feet k.
At the centre of the tube Q is placed a gauge Q' of glass or any other material.
This tube communicates below with tube connected with the vacuum apparatus
and the tube m communicating with the inlet R. This inlet is provided with two tap
or valve pistons, one communicating with the pipe m, and the other with the pipe
which latter communicates with the top of the reservoir P.
The inlet R is applied to the mouth or
exhalation.
nose and serves for inhalation an
O is a conduit communicating with the vessel P, and atmosphere, and is provide
with a valve which shuts itself when the water descends in the tube Q & rises in th
vessel P.
The vacuum forms itself through the pipe and the gauge Qin the top of th
globe Q, the water rises and produces at the same time an aspiration in the tube
which causes an exhalation.

page_text: Afterwards the air descends, and while the tap or valve of the tube m is closed,
produces through pipe with open valve, an inhalation by forcing back the air
which has taken the place of the water in the vessel P.
This apparatus may be made and applied in different forms, and the inlet pipes may
be joined to the vessel P, by the communication O, for the purpose of facilitating and
producing the inhalation of medicinal vapours, or gas from mineral waters under
pressure.
The appliance in which the vacuum acts may be formed as shown in Fig. 7. This
appliance is composed of a cup shaped vessel T, of soft india rubber or any other
suitable substance.
A pipe p which leads to the interior of the cup, communicates with the vacuuin
apparatus by means of a flexible tube of suitable length.
In applying the cup to the body and putting the finger on the hole », a depression,
more or less strong, is produced in the cup, according to the vacuum produced by the
apparatus.
This apparatus may be applied onto any part of the body and produces the effect of
a special massage.
The vacuum necessary for the action of this apparatus is produced as in the others
described, by a steam ejector, but it can be produced by any other means, and in
particular by water.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim, is
a
1st. In an aero-therapeutical apparatus, the bath chamber A, the lid C of which, is
furnished with a flexible collar D made to fit the neck of the individual so as to close
the chamber A hermetically, the interior of which is provided with a seat B forming
vacuum reservoir, in combination with a vacuum source and tap or valve d,
by means of the pipes & e respectively, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
2nd. The jacket F, sleeve ends H, collar I, and continuation G, which are made to
fit tightly on the respective part of the individual, the said jacket F being provided in
front with two pipe connections e & f, and tap or valve, by means of which and the
aid of a pipe or pipes, communication can be established between the jacket F, vacuum
apparatus, and the atmosphere, substantially as described.
3rd. The pectoral plate J provided with an inlet in front, controlled by a tap or
valve, which is in communication by means of a flexible pipe N with a vacuum
apparatus, and atmosphere, the said pectoral plate being held in the required position
by means of a dorsal pad K furnished with two spring bands L passing over the
shoulders, and two straps M passing under the arms of the individual, substantially as
& for the purpose specified.
4th. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the vessel P containing water,
globular tube Q, vacuum gauge Q' pipe connection O, pipes n, m, & l, vacuum source E,
and inlet R, provided with three taps or valves.
5th. The cup shaped vessel T, made of soft material, such as india-rubber, and
provided with hole r, and pipe connection p substantially as and for the purpose
specified.