A Method of Packing Antiseptic Textile Surgical Dressings.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th June, 1889-Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Method of Packing Antiseptic Textile Surgical Dressings.
I, EDWIN LORENZO Wood, Physician, residing at Minneapolis, in the County or
Hennepin, State of Minnesota, one of the States of the United States of America,
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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.
As is well known, surgical dressings are now prepared from gauze and other textile
fabrics by treating the same with cortain substances to produce a condition of partial
or complete antisopsis. After having been properly prepared, it is desirable to
protect them to the utmost possible extent from contamination by exposure to the
atmosphere, handling, or in any other way. The least possible exposure hazards the
success of the dressing by endangering the lodgment of germs or other foreign
matter. Hitherto it has been customary to fold the dressing laterally upon itself
into a manifold strip and then to roll the strip upon itself from end to end. The roll
is then wrapped in oiled paper and placed within a suitable retaining-case, usually of
tin or wood, opening at the end or side by the removal of a lid or the swinging of
one wall of the case. When packed in this way, it is always necessary to take the
entire roll of the dressing out of its retaining-case. It is then unwrapped from the
oil-paper and as much clipped off as desired for use. This necessitates much handling
and exposure. The whole roll being handled and exposed and the case left open in
this way whenever a part is desired render it next to impossible to keep the dressing
clean and pure.
The object of my invention is to confine the handling to the part of the dressing
which is to be used, leaving the remainder undisturbed in its case; and it consists
in the method of packing the dressing, hereinafter described, and particularly pointed
out in the claim.
In case the dressing be in a sheet of greater width than the width of the retaining-
case, as it ordinarily will be, I fold it laterally upon itself into a manifold strip,
as was formerly done preparatory to a roll. Instead of rolling, however, I then fold
the manifold strip upon itself in multiple reverse folds from end to end, preferably
doing this as it is placed within the retaining case, the oiled paper having first been
placed in the case as a lining. The ends of the paper will then turn in and overlap
the upper end of the dressing. Thereafter, in using the dressing, all the operator has
to do is to remove or open the lid, lay back the flaps of the oil-paper wrapping,
take hold of the end of the manifold strip of the dressing, and draw out as much as
he wants for use, clipping it off from the remainder of the package, which remains
undisturbed in the case.
The single figure of the drawing is a vertical sectional view of a retaining case
and package of surgical dressing, illustrative of
my method.
A is the retaining-case provided with the hinged lid a.
B is the oil-paper wrapping, and C is the antiseptic gauze, packed as above
described.
It will be understood that the word "textile" is used as a term of description and
not of limitation.
My method is applicable to all forms of dressing other than powders and liquids
whether woven, knit, fulled or otherwise.
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 :-
The method of packing antiseptic textile surgical dressings, which consists in

page_text: placing the same within its retaining wrappings and case in multiple endwise reverse
folds, substantially as described, whereby the amount thereof desired for use may be
unfolded from one end without removing the remainder from the case.
Dated this 15th dose of Luna 1000
EDWIN LORENZO WOOD.
G. F. Redfern & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.