Improved Method of and Apparatus for Administering Electricity to the Human Body.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 8th Nov., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE BETHEL ELECTRIC MEDICAL BATHS COMPANY,
LIMITED, of No. 412, Bourke Street, Melbourne, in the Colony of Victoria.]
Improved Method of and Apparatus for Administering Electricity to
the Human Body.
I, OLIVER IMRAY, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of London, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, 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 :-
This invention relates to what are generally known as "electric medical baths,"
and it has been devised chiefly for the purpose of enabling electricity to be applied in
large quantities to the human body without causing any shock to the system, whilst
another object of this invention is to provide means whereby the current of electricity
may be easily regulated according to requirements.
The essential feature of this improved method of administering electricity to the
human body consists in conducting the current into and out of the water in which the
patient to be operated upon is immersed, no actual connection being made with any
part of such patient.
The apparatus which I have devised in order to enable me to conveniently carry my
invention into practice consists essentially of a cradle or frame, having an inclined
back, together with a comparatively large plate, which can be arranged behind said
inclined back, and may be connected to one pole of a battery or other source of
electricity, whilst the other pole is connected to the metal of which the bath is
constructed, preferably at a point as far removed as possible from said plate, as will be
well understood from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings, wherein
Figure 1 is a plan of a bath, and a diagram of the necessary connections for
conducting a current of electricity into the water contained therein, as above mentioned,
whilst
Figure 2 is an elevation of part of the apparatus, illustrating the arrangement of
battery, switches and contact-breaker, whereby I provide for conducting either a
continuous or an intermittent current into the bath, and
Figure 3 is a side elevation of a cradle or support, which is provided with
an inclined back, and upon which the patient rests while being operated upon,
whilst
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the plate, which, as hereinbefore mentioned, is placed
in the water in the bath immediately behind the inclined back of the cradle upon which
the patient reclines, and which is connected to one pole of a battery or other source
of electricity.
to a
The electric generator which I prefer to use is a battery consisting of, say, 24 bi-
chromate of potash cells though I wish it to be understood that any generator which
will give a steady flow and a sufficient amount of current will be suitable for my
purpose. This battery is indicated at A, and each of its cells is connected up
separate contact-piece b of a multiple switch B, whereby I am enabled to switch any
number of cells into the circuit, and am thus enabled to regulate the amount of current
passed into the water of the bath. I prefer to employ a contact-breaker (which can
be inserted in the local circuit of a battery c. This said local circuit includes a
switch c', whereby said circuit may be opened or closed at will. A two-way switch c²
is also provided in order that the current from the battery A may be led either direct
to the bath, or be passed through said contact-breaker C, thus enabling me to employ
either a continuous or an intermittent current at will.
1 prefer to support the cells A, switches B, c¹, c³, and contact-breaker C upon a
,

page_text: framing D, as illustrated in Figure 2, in such a manner as that said switches will be
within convenient reach of the attendant in charge of the bath.
E represents a cradle or support which is placed within the bath F, and upon which
the patient rests. This support or cradle E is provided with an inclined back e, which
may be constructed with canework e¹. Behind this inclined back e is arranged a
comparatively large plate G, having a slotted upward projection g, through which is
passed a clamp, holt, or screw g', which is screwed into a rod 92 at the head of the
bath, said rod being connected, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1, to one of the poles
of the battery. This plate G slides through a guide g³, and may be adjusted so that it
will project to any desired depth in the water in the bath and be clamped in such
position by means of the bolt g¹.
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 I make no
general claim to electrical baths but what I claim is :—
1. The improved method of administering electricity to the human body by
conducting into and out of a quantity of water in which the patient is immersed
currents of electricity, continuous or intermittent and of more or less tension as desired
substantially as herein described.
☐₁
2. In an apparatus for administering electricity to the human body the combination
with a cradle or support (such as E) provided with an inclined back (such as e) of a
vertically adjustable plate (such as G) adapted to be inserted in the water behind said
inclined back, and connected with any convenient source whence a supply of electricity
may be obtained, substantially as and for the purposes herein described and explained
and as illustrated in my drawings.
Dated this 30th day of September 1840
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.