AN IMPROVEMENT IN CURING CERTAIN MALADIES OF THE HEAD
Year: 1833

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LOUIS
COURNIER, of Kennington Green, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Twenty-first day of September, in the fourth year of His
reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Louis Cournier, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Louis Cournier, my exors, admors, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Louis Cournier, my exors, admors, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN CURING CERTAIN
MALADIES OF THE HEAD;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
that I, the said 'Louis Cournier, shall cause a particular description of the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be inrolled in His said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within two
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part

page_text: recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appears.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Louis Cournier, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed and carried into effect, is as
follows, that is to say:-
The Invention consists of an instrument by which the electric fluid is with-
drawn from the head, as will be hereafter fully described. The instrument is
constructed as follows; that is to say, a glass vase or box two inches square,
one and a half inches deep, and open at top. The bottom is perforated in the
centre with a small hole for the passage of the conducting wire or metallic
thread hereafter mentioned. The interior of this box or vase is lined with
In a square
colored paper, though this is immaterial and only for onament.
piece of cork, capable of fitting the bottom of the said box or vase, are thirty-
six steel points or needles projecting from the bottom towards and nearly to
the top of the box or vase, the two sides of the cork being covered with a
thin sheet or foil of lead. From the surface from which the needles protrude,
a metallic thread or wire is attached, and passing over to the back passes
through the hole perforated at the bottom of the glass box or vase, and is
sufficiently long to lie on the ground at the time the instrument is to be tied
on to the forehead when intended to relieve the headache, with the open part of
the box or vase and the points or needles facing the part affected. By this
means the needles will attract the electric fluid, and the same will pass off by
the conducting metallic wire or thread, and the patient will be relieved.
It should be stated that there are strings or bands attached by sewing or
otherwise to the glass box or vase for the purpose of affixing the instrument
to the head as before described, and in case these strings or bands are sewed,
then small holes are perforated in the sides of the glass box or vase.
It will
be evident that the number of needles and the construction of the instrument
may be varied without departing from the Invention. And I would observe
that two or more instruments attached together and applied to the head will
more powerfully operate on the patient. These instruments may be applied
for relieving and even removing rheumatic and sciatic complaints.
In witness whereof, I, the said Louis Cournier, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-three.
LOUIS (L.S.) COURNIER.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-first day of November,
in the year of our Lord 1833, the aforesaid Louis Cournier (through the
interpretation of Elizabeth Wick, the said Interpreter being first sworn that
she had truly, distinctly, and audibly interpreted the above Specification,
and that she would interpret the acknowledgment to the said Louis Cournier)
came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-first day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-three.