Improvements in Vaporizing Apparatus for Medical Purposes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1889-Accepted, 29th June, 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Vaporizing Apparatus for Medical Purposes.
I, HERBERT FRANKLIN WILLIAMS, of 450 Clasoon Avenue Brooklyn, County of
Kings, State of New York, United States of America, Doctor of Medicine, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VAPORIZING
APPARATUS FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES" and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention is an apparatus for the administration of medicine in a vaporized
form, or of air or other gas impregnated with such medicinal vapor. The construction
of my apparatus is such that I can regulate the temperature of the vapor or
impregnated air at will, and the vaporizing chamber itself is constructed on a novel
principle, in that the air, instead of being forced through the liquid, or instead of
being mingled with a spray drawn directly from the liquid body by any means, is
projected down upon the liquid surface, and there mingles with the vapor rising from
said surface, and finally escapes from the vaporizing chamber by any suitable conduit
which may lead directly to the patient who is to receive the treatment. Included in
my apparatus is a form of hood or cover for the mouth and nose of the patient,
which will fit closely to the contour of the face, and prevent the mingling of the
external air with the medicated air or vapor yielded by the apparatus.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my apparatus showing
certain portions in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the hood for the
face of the patient. Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.
may
The air or gas which is to be mingled with the vapor produced, enters the apparatus
at A, which is a tube, which may communicate with a reservoir containing compressed
air. I have found it exceedingly beneficial to carry this tube directly through the
casing of the window, and so out of doors, so that in this way, pure, fresh air be
drawn directly into the apparatus, without exposing the body of the patient to the
external temperature. It will he readily understood, that the patient may remain in
his apartment fully protected from draughts, &c., and in the manner described be able
to obtain all the advantages incident to the breathing of fresh atmospheric air. After
entering at the point A, the air to be medicated is passed through a drying tube B,
which may be filled with chloride of calcium, or any other material for absorbing
moisture therefrom. After being thus dried, the air passes by the tube C to a heating
drum D, which is placed in proximity to a lamp E, or any other suitable source of
heat. In case it is desired to cool the air instead of heating it, the drum D may be
surrounded by ice, or any suitable freezing inixture. The tube C communicates with
drum D by pipes, F and G, in which pipes are arranged valves H and I. A valve J
When the valve J is
is also arranged in the tube C between the tubes F and G.
closed, the air is forced to circulate through the drum D, the valves H and I then
being open. If the valves H and I are closed, and the valve J be open, then obviously
the air will not pass through the drum D. By suitable adjustments of the valves H. Ť,
and J, any portion of the air current may be made to pass through the drum D, and
in this way, the temperature of the air passing to the vaporizing chamber may be
nicely regulated. K is the vaporizing chamber preferably of glass and hermetically
sealed above. In this chamber is placed the liquid L or other material which is to
be vaporized. The tube Centers this chamber but terminates above the surface of
the liquid. At the end of the tube C, is a bulb M which is perforated, and which
serves to break up or diffuse the air current above the surface of the liquid L. Also
entering the chamber K, is a tube N, the extremity of which may also be a perforated
bulb O. This tube serves to convey the mingled vapor and air to the patient, or
wherever else it is to be utilized. The vaporizing chamber K is here shown placed in
a heating cylinder P. which is closed on its upper side Q, and provided below with a

page_text: "
perforated partition R. Beneath the cylinder is placed a lamp or other source of
beat S, the flame from which passes up through the perforated plate R and cylinder P,
and finally escapes at the openings S in said cylinder.
course,
in
The operation of the apparatus above described is as follows. It will be observed,
First, that I may heat the air, proceeding from pipe A to the vaporizing chamber to
any desired temperature, and may project it upon the surface of the liquid or other
material in the vaporizing chamber K, without heating said chamber or the liquid
therein; and in such case, sufficient vapor may be generated from the liquid by the
heat of the incoming air only; or, Second, I may heat the vaporizing chamber only,
and not heat the incoming air. In such case, a comparatively cold current of air will
mingle with the vapor produced by heat applied to the material in the chamber; or,
Third, I may heat both the incoming air and the vaporizing chamber, and thus cause
a high elevation of temperature of the material to be vaporized. This course will
probably be followed with substances the vaporization of which is difficult at low
temperatures; Fourth, in lieu of heating the incoming air, I may cool it, and so
project a current of cold air upon a substance in the chamber L, which, of
that case, will not be heated; Fifth, I may pack the chamber K in ice or a freezing
mixture, and so direct a current of air of normal temperature against a cold liquid or
other material with which it is desired to bring it in contact ; Sixth, I may cool both
incoming air and the chamber K, and in such case, obtain a final current of as low
temperature as may be desired; Seventh, I may omit the source of cold and heat altogether,
and draw in fresh air from the outer atmosphere into the chamber K, in which I may
place any liquid or other material with which it may be of advantage to have that
air come in contact before it reaches the patient. Such, for example, as a disinfecting
or antiseptic substance or solution. The drying tube B is, of course, not essential to
my invention, or in lieu of any drying substance therein, I may place at all times, a
disinfecting or antiseptic material. The preliminary heating of the air before it goes
to the vaporizing chamber, has the double advantage of causing the air to act more
rapidly upon the material to be vaporized, and also of destroying any germs in the
air which may be destructible by the high temperature attained. I have found this
apparatus of special value in the administration of all mendicaments usually
administered by inhalation including the anaesthetics.
In order to increase the efficiency of the apparatus, I apply thereto the shield or
hood represented at T, in Fig. 1, and separately in Fig. 2. (section) the object of
which is to prevent the patient breathing any air except that which comes through the
vaporizing chamber. This hood consists of a flexible rubber cone or funnel, U, to the
edge of which is applied a ring of soft, flexible wire V such as lead or other non-
elastic, easily bent material. After the cone is placed over the patient's nose and
mouth, the wire is easily bent over the bridge of the nose, and to follow the contour
of the cheeks and chin, so that the edge of the cone may fit closely thereon, and the
access of outer air be prevented. I find this simple device to be a material
improvement over the usual means now employed for the administration of
anaesthetics.
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. A closed vaporizing chamber adapted to contain a liquid or other substance to
be vaporized, a tube entering said chamber and terminating above said substance, and
arranged to deliver an air current upon said substance, and an exit opening in said
chamber for the vapor produced therein.
2. A closed vaporizing chamber adapted to contain a liquid or other substance to
he vaporized, means for heating or cooling said chamber, a tube entering said
chamber, and terminating above said substance, and an exit opening in said chamber
for the vapor produced therein.
3. A closed vaporizing chamber adapted to contain a liquid or other substance to
be vaporized, a tube entering said chamber and terminating above said substance, and

page_text: arranged to deliver an air current upon said substance, a chamber communicating
with said tube, and means for heating or cooling the air passing from said tube
through said chamber, and an exit opening in said vaporizing chamber for the vapor
produced therein.
4. The vaporizing apparatus herein set forth containing inlet tube A C, chamber D,
and means of heating the same, valves H, I, J, the vaporizing chamber K, and a
means of heating the same and exit tube N, substantially as described.
5. A hood or cone of flexible material for covering the mouth and nose of the
patient, having on its edge a flexible non-elastic band, substantially as described.
Dated this Twenty fifth day of April 1889.
HERBERT FRANKLIN WILLIAMS, M.D.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.