AN IMPROVED LAVEMENT OR INJECTING MACHINE
Year: 1854

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Loysel at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th December
1854.
I, EDWARD LOYSEL, of Rue de Grétry, Paris, in the Empire of France,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED LAVEMENT OR INJECTING MACHINE" to be as follows:-
In the apparatus or machines hitherto constructed and employed for lave-
ment purposes, the liquid is injected by the pressure of a piston, either worked
by hand or by means of a coiled or other spring made to act on the upper
surface of the piston. When the piston is worked by the hand, there is great
liability of the patient injuring himself, by exerting too much force; and it has
likewise been found that the muscles of the loins, when brought into play to
work the machine, will to a certain extent prevent the proper action of the
lavement on the bowels, and counteract the beneficial effects of the operation.
To obviate these inconveniences, attempts have been made to make self-acting
lavement machines, in which the piston is forced down by means of a spring,
as above mentioned. Although machines made on this principle will work
properly for a time, they are more costly and more complicated in construction
than the former ones, and are exceedingly likely to get out of order, especially
as they cannot be cleaned with convenience and facility by ordinary servants.

page_text: In my improved lavement machine the liquid is injected by hydrostatic
pressure alone, and the piston, springs, and other complicated contrivances of
the apparatus hitherto employed are altogether dispensed with.
The most
simple form of apparatus consists of a vase, made of glass, earthenware, metal,
or other suitable material, and having an opening at the lower part, to which
is connected a flexible tube of any convenient length, and provided at the
opposite end with a jet or nozzle of appropriate form, and also with a stop-
cock for regulating or cutting off the supply of the liquid. In operating with
this machine, it will only be requisite to fill the vase with the liquid, and
place the vase at a proper elevation above the patient, so as to cause the liquid
to flow with facility. This may be done either by supporting the vase from a
hook in the wall of the apartment, or placing it on a shelf at a suitable
altitude.
Another great objection to the present form of lavement or injecting appa-
ratus is, that when a preparation composed of liquids of different specific
gravities is employed, as of water, and oil, or honey, the different ingredients
will soon separate in the vase, and consequently will not be injected in the
proper proportions. In order to obviate this difficulty, I propose to adapt to
the lid of my machine a small stirring apparatus, which will be actuated by a
spring, and cause fans or stirrers to rotate in the liquid, and keep the ingredients
well mixed.
When the machine is out of use the inside of the vase may be wiped clean
with facility, and the flexible tube coiled round and placed inside the vase,
which may then be packed away without inconvenience. It is obvious that
this improved apparatus may be used for animals as well as for human beings,
it being only necessary to increase the size for horses or other large animals.
I would also observe that, if required, or considered advisable, a thermometer
may be adapted to the vase, to indicate the temperature of the liquid contained
therein before using the same. It will also be found convenient to graduate
the vase, in order to be able with accuracy to ascertain the quantity it will
contain, or that may be required for persons of different ages.