A Pessary with Disinfecting Receptacle.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th July, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 5th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 24th May, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Pessary with Disinfecting Receptacle.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM GOLBY of 36 Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention as
communicated to me by Paul Weissgerber M.D. County Physician in Lauterbach,
Upper Hesse in the Empire of Germany to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a pessary provided with a disinfecting receptacle
which is to be introduced into the female vagina for healing and disinfecting
purposes.
In the construction of this pessary it has been taken into consideration that the
vagina could be disinfected in the simplest possible manner, if a quantity of anti-
septics, harmless to the human organism, could be introduced which, gradually
dissolving, would give to the vaginal secretion qualities for killing the bacteria.
The disinfecting receptacle is a bag made of thin indiarubber or other suitable
material and is perforated and provided with a filling aperture of any suitable
description.
The receptacle may be formed integral with the pessary or it may be secured
thereto by means of a rubber solution or other adhesive, by a thread or threads or
by any other suitable means.
The disinfecting pessary is introduced in such a manner that the bag lies in the
vagina toward the back and upward. When introduced there is always sufficient
space to allow of the flowing off of physiological and pathological secretions of the
vagina and the uterus. The disinfectant in the bag is gradually dissolved by
the secretions and the latter as it flows off is saturated with the disinfecting
material.
101 1
T.... 1904
F. W. GOLBY,
36, Chancery Lane, W.C.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A. Pessary with Disinfecting Receptacle.
FREDERICK WILLIAM GOLBY of 36 Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention as communicated to me
by Paul Weissgerber, M.D., County Physician in Lauterbach, Upper Hesse, in the
Empire of Germany, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to a pessary provided with a disinfecting receptacle
which is to be introduced into the female vagina for healing and disinfecting
purposes.
In the construction of this pessary, it has been taken into consideration that
the vagina could be disinfected in the simplest possible manner if a quantity
of antiseptics, harmless to the human organism, could be introduced, which,
gradually dissolving, would give to the vaginal secretion qualities for killing the
bacteria.

page_text: 3
The accompanying drawings shew three modifications which indicate how the
disinfecting receptacle, and the pessary which carries the same, can be shaped for
the attainment of the above-mentioned object.
· Figures 1 and 2 shew respectively an elevation and a longitudinal section of the
so called "Thomas" pessary to the hoop B of which the disinfecting receptacle is
firmly connected (see the lower part of Figures 1 & 2). The disinfecting
receptacle is furnished with a cover A, hinged at xx, which cover can be secured
by means of a spring fastening c of suitable construction. By opening the cover A
the receptacle can be charged with the disinfectant when necessary. All the sides
as well as the cover of the receptacle are provided with small holes through which
the disinfectant.used may flowout.
In place of the receptacle with rigid sides illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 a
receptacle with elastic sides may be used. Figures 3 and 4 shew such an arrange-
ment which consists of a thin india rubber bag E provided with holes.
By means of the thread e this bag can be fastened to the ring shaped pessary C
which consists of watch springs with india rubber wrappings, or it may be fixed
firmly to the ring C by means of a suitable adhesive material.
The bag E has a mouth or opening d through which the disinfectant may be
inserted; after which the mouth or opening d is closed and secured by means of a
thread which is pulled through the holes y y in the bag.
Figures 5 and 6 shew respectively front and side elevations of a so called Hodge's
pessary to which is connected a thin india rubber bag such as is above described.
Here also the bag H can be bound to the hoop G by means of a thread h or it may
be fastened by means of an adhesive material.
The thread or h can be painted with "traumaticin" in order to prevent
mechanical irritation of the soft parts of the body.
The disinfecting pessary is introduced in such a manner that the bag lies in the
vagina toward the back and upward. It can be introduced by any midwife and its
use can easily be learned by the patient.
When the disinfecting pessary is introduced there is always sufficient space
between ring and bag to allow of the flowing off of physiological and pathological
secretions of the vagina and the matrix. The flow of the menstrual discharge is in
no way interrupted; even if the bag is very much filled. The wearer of the
disinfecting pessary is not in the least inconvenienced, and she can follow her usual
occupation uninterruptedly.
For the filling of the bag hitherto only unpulverized boracic acid has been used,
over which some wadding was placed before the bag was bound up.
The boracic acid in the perforated bag is gradually dissolved in the vaginal
secretions; the latter is continually saturated with boracic acid and the healing
and disinfecting power of a boracic acid solution saturated at 37 degrees is
effectually and continually used in the lower part of the vagina and at the entrance
of the same.
This uninterrupted effect could (when the vaginal secretion is not strong) be
maintained for the period of three weeks by one application only.
With lying-in women one or two applications would be sufficient for the whole.
period of child-bed.
The favourable effect of boracic acid in festering sores in the ear is well known.
Boracic acid favours the healing of wounds and the. restitution of loss of epithelia,
and according to the investigations made by Pane a 5% solution is capable of
destroying staphylococci within three hours. At 37 degrees Centigrade ahout.
9% of boracic acid is dissolved. Consequently may be expected, if boracic acid
is applied by means of a disinfecting pessary shortly before the birth and again
during child-bed, that thereby the micro-organisms which cause puerperal fever
will be destroyed.
Wounds, in the orifice of the matrix and the vagina are, as it were, continually
steeped in a very strong solution of boracic acid and the same solution continually
washes the entrance of the vagina. The whole treatment would therefore be

page_text: limited to one or two applications of the filled disinfecting pessary during the
lying-in, and to keep the mother clean to such a degree as is thought necessary in
the opinion of a layman.
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 arrangement to let healing and disinfecting matters work continually on
the lower part of the vagina by introducing into the latter a perforated
receptacle (A, E, H,) containing the healing or disinfecting matter which in this
way works continually on the parts to be treated and does not prevent the discharge
of vaginal or uterine secretions substantially as described.
2. A receptacle such as is indicated in the preceding claim consisting of perforated
bags (A, E, H,) which are filled with the healing and disinfecting matter and fastened
to a pessary G Figures 5 and 6; or to an elastic ring C Figures 3 and 4 or is
formed in such a way that the lower part of the pessary B Figures 1 and 2, is
shaped like a perforated pocket, substantially as described and shewa in the
drawings and for the purpose stated.
Dated this 5th day of April 1895