IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING FUMIGATION, VAPORIZATION, AND INHALATION, APPLICABLE TO MEDICINAL AND SANATORY PURPOSES
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Harley Savory and
William Robert Barker at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 23rd April 1870,
We, CHARLES HARLEY SAVORY and WILLIAM ROBERT BARKER,
both of New Bond Street, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING FUMIGATION, VAPORIZATION, AND
INHALATION, APPLICABLE TO MEDICINAL AND SANATORY PURPOSES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in effecting fumiga-.
tion, vaporization, and inhalation for medicinal and sanatory purposes,,
whereby simple forms of apparatus may be used to distribute fumigated,
vapours from solid substances, or to permit them to be inhaled directly
from a tube, and whereby vapours disseminated or evaporated by heat
from liquids may be produced. With regard to such substances as
datura stramonium, and other substances possessing similar properties,
in the treatment of bronchial or pulmonary affections, we propose to,
construct a small vessel of wood or other material, in which a false

page_text: bowl is placed to contain the substance to cause the fumigation; a
hollow stem enters the vessel below the bowl, which latter is per-
forated with one or more apertures and covered with a cap, to the stem
an india-rubber tube is attached, the other end of which has a mouth-
piece. At an intermediate part of this flexible tube an india-rubber
collapsible chamber is made to intervene, the junctions of each end of
the tubes therewith being provided with valves, so that by grasping the
collapsible chamber with the hand and alternately releasing it air is
either forced through the vessel and bowl, or drawn down into them
and forced out of the mouth-piece as required either for fumigation
into an apartment or for direct inhalation. With regard to the applica-
tion of the vapour of carbolic acid caused by heat, for which we form a
special apparatus which may likewise be used for evaporating tinctures
and other medicinal liquids, a gauze or perforated metal cylinder and
stand are made to contain a spirit lamp, above which a second cylinder
with a dished base is arranged and provided with a hinged perforated
or wire gauze lid, this upper cylinder is furnished with three or more
projecting holders or wires within which a glass vessel is held or
supported, this vessel is of tapering or pear shaped form, a tube rising
from its lowest part nearly to the top through which a cotton wick is
passed, dropping over the top of the tube into the vessel and into the
liquid contained therein around the tube and between it and the side
of the vessel. Thus supposing carbolic acid to be poured into the
annular recess thus formed the acid will pass upwards through the
wick over and down the tube, and consequently will drop very slowly
on to the dished surface of the cylinder, when the heat of the lamp
beneath will instantly convert it into vapour which will pass out of
the perforated top, as well as out perforations cut in the sides of the
cylinder. These apparatus may be made of various sizes as required for
sick rooms, hospitals, ships, or other uses.
The inhaling apparatus will be found most serviceable for weak
patients to whom the effort of inspiring the vapour by the lungs alone
would be distressing, such effort being altogether avoided by the use of
the forcing india-rubber chamber,