Improved Means for Destroying Disease Germs.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Destroying Disease Germs.
I, CHARLES M. JOHNSON, Scientist, of Denmark House, Redhill, in the County
of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the destruction or expelling of disease germs from the
animal system, such as those which cause consumption or other diseases, by the
use of a current of electricity to drive the microbe or bacilli out from the body,
or into the open places within the body itself, where it may be expelled or
attacked by germicides, or other chemicals or medicines as the case may require
for either their destruction or expulsion. That is to say: The electric current
naturally follows the line of the last resistance, which is in the tissues and recesses
where the germs or bacilli are under cover, driving them out so that they may
be more readily attacked, in other words to drive the enemy out of ambush
into the open,"
where they may be more readily destroyed is the combination
of electricity and medicine for the destruction of disease germs. I do not limit
myself to this particular description of this invention for it may be varied
without departing from the spirit of this invention.
35"
"
Dated this Fourteenth day of November 1899.
Improved Means for Destroying Disease Germs.
I, CHARLES MORLEY JOHNSON, of No. 11, Routh Road, Wandsworth Common,
in the County of Surrey, formerly residing in Denmark House, Redhill, in the
same County, Scientist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to the rendering unreproductive, inert, and killing,
of micro-organisms animal and vegetable, and entozoa, growths, and disease
germs of all kinds, within the human and animal systems; and the alleviating
and curing or diseases which are generated, superinduced, increased, prolonged,
or made more malignant, by such micro-organisms, entozoa, growths and germs,
such (amongst others) as enteric and other fevers, tuberculosis, tumours, cancerous
growths, carbuncles, bubonic and other plagues, leprosy and elephantiasis,
by the use and application of electricity alone, and secondly by the use and
application of electricity in combination with medicines, drugs and chemicals.
The form of electricity which I use is a current of high voltage and low amperage

page_text: capable of producing what is known as a silent discharge emitting the violet
or ultra violet ray, being the ray similar in character to the violet or ultra violet
ray of the sun, which sun-ray is already known to be capable of rendering unre-
productive and inert and of killing micro-organisms and disease germs.
I generate the current above described preferably by or from a Wimshurst
influence or frictional machine: but other suitable machines generating a current
producing the violet or ultra violet ray may be used. I use preferably a Wims-
hurst machine having twenty, glass plates each with a diameter of thirty-six
inches which generate a current having a very high voltage and low amperage,
and giving many million vibrations a second.
I take the current always from the positive pole of the electrode, and force
or carry such current through points sufficient in number to make the current
produce always the violet or ultra violet ray, and to avoid sparking, and I give
an earth or negative connection from the patient. I use preferably an electrode
terminating in a bunch or brush of very fine wires or metallic fibres.
A current sufficiently weak to produce the violet or ultra violet ray when forced
or carried through a single point may be applied through a single point.
So long as the current generated and applied as above described is used on a
patient having an earth or negative connection the current will not injure the
patient, but while the patient is being treated with a strong current no person
or object should approach or be allowed near the patient as the result might
be to cause the current to jump from the patient to such person or object and
give a shock to the patient.
Where the whole body or circulation of the patient is affected by micro-organ-
isms or germs this invention would, or might, not be practically effective within
a reasonable duration of treatment or at any rate not so effective as when the micro-
organisms or germs are wholly or mainly located in a particular part or parts
of the body.
When the micro-organisms or germs are wholly or mainly located in a
particular part or parts of the body, and it is desired to treat, and to confine the
current to, such part or parts, I introduce the current generated and applied
as above described, into the part or parts to be treated by placing the points of
the electrode on or near to such part or parts; and upon or near to the further
or opposite side of such part or parts I place points discs or plates made of metal
or other conducting substance and having an earth or negative connection, so
as to attract and draw the current through such part or parts and to confine the
force and direction of the current to such part or parts. I may also during
the treatment place a tourniquet above, or above and below, such part or parts,
or I may use a glass tube or like vessel and take the wire with the points
affixed thereto, carrying the current, through such tube or vessel so as to bring the
points to within a short distance of the end of such tube or vessel and press the end of
the tube or vessel against the limb or part to be treated--the effect of such tourni-
quets or tube or vessel pressed as aforesaid being to stop or check the circulation
of the blood at the part or place to be treated and to subject the micro-organisms
or germs located at such part or place to continuous treatment.
I find by experiment that an electric current producing the violet or ultra
violet ray will render unreproductive and inert, and kill. micro-organisms and
disease germs embedded or existing in substances through which such current
is passed. Observation under the microscope of micro-organisms and germs
treated with a current generated and applied as above described has shown me
that they, at the initial stages of the treatment, become active or restive, then
cease to be reproductive, then inert or comatose, and as the treatment is con-
tinued are finally killed.
The use and application for the purposes of this invention of electricity in
combination with medicines, drugs or chemicals is applicable only or mainly
when the micro-organisms or germs are wholly or mainly located in a particular
part or parts of the body of the patient.

page_text: When it is desired to use medicines, drugs, or chemicals, in combination with
the electric current, I place the medicines, drugs, or chemicals, on or near the
part or parts of the body in which the micro-organisms or germs are located and
between such part or parts and the points or point through which the electric
current is to be carried to such part or parts. I then generate, apply and control,
the current in the same manner as herein before described with respect to the
electric current alone where the micro-organisms or germs are wholly or mainly
located in a particular part or parts of the body of the patient. Such medicines,
drugs, or chemicals, are carried by or with the electric current generated, applied,
and controlled, as aforesaid into and through the skin and body of the patient.
The medicines, drugs or chemicals, may be contained and held in position
by a glass cylinder, or a circle of wax, or by means of an absorbent saturated
therewith, or in any convenient manner.
The medicines, drugs, or chemicals to be used in each particular case should
be those which are known to be a cure or remedy for the specific disease to be
treated.
The medicines, drugs, or chemicals best adapted for being driven as above
described through the part or parts of the body affected and to be treated are
those having the minutest molecular construction, such as formaline.
I find by experiment under the microscope that some micro-organisms and
disease germs have a power of locomotion, and, when lying in the path of the
current generated and applied as above described, move to places not affected
or not so strongly affected by the current.
The electric current always follows the lines of the least resistance and will,
therefore, in its passage through the body, travel chiefly along and through
the tissues, and will avoid open places or cavities where there is no conductor.
If and when the micro-organisms or disease germs are driven by the electric
current generated and applied as aforesaid from the tissues into the open places
or cavities within the body, the medicines, drugs, or chemicals, carried in by
such current will, when arriving at such open places or cavities (whether natural
or caused by disease), preferably to passing with the current along or
through the tissues, naturally (either in liquid or gaseous form), drop or gather
into such open places or cavities and so attack and kill the micro-organisms
and disease germs therein.
The current itself generated and applied as aforesaid will produce ozone which
is inimical to the life of micro-organisms and disease germs.
I do not limit myself to this particular description of the invention for it
may be varied without departing from the spirit of this invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The means or process of applying and controlling an electric current of
high voltage and low amperage producing the violet or ultra violet ray sub-
stantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
2. The means or process of applying, controlling and using such current in
combination with medicines, drugs, and chemicals substantially as and for the
purposes herein set forth.
Dotad 20th of Tune 1000
CHARLES MORLEY JOHNSON.