AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE PREVENTION, CURE, AND RELIEF OF HERNIA OF EVERY DESCRIPTION, TOGETHER WITH PROLAPSUS UTERI, UTERINE HEMORRHAGE, HERNIA, HUMORALIS, AND AS A GENERAL SUPPORT FOR ENLARGEMENT OF THE ABDOMEN FROM WHATEVER CAUSE PROCEEDING
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Arthur, Doctor of Medicine, and Member of
the Royal College of Surgeons of London, of No. 1, Robert Terrace,
Chelsea, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR THE PREVENTION, CURE, AND RELIEF OF HERNIA OF EVERY
DESCRIPTION, TOGETHER WITH PROLAPSUS UTERI, UTERINE HEMORRHAGE,
HERNIA, HUMORALIS, AND AS A GENERAL SUPPORT FOR ENLARGEMENT OF THE
ABDOMEN FROM WHATEVER CAUSE PROCEEDING."
Sealed the 19th January 1864, and dated the 18th August 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Arthur at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th
August 1863.
I, JOSEPH ARTHUR, Doctor of Medicine, and Member of the Royal College
of Surgeons of London, of No. 1, Robert Terrace, Chelsea, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE PREVENTION, CUBE, AND RELIEF OF HERNIA OF
EVERY DESCRIPTION, TOGETHER WITH PROLAPSUS UTERI, UTERINE HEMORRHage,
HERNIA, HUMORALIS, AND AS A GENERAL SUPPORT FOR ENLARGEMENT OF THE
ABDOMEN FROM WHATEVER CAUSE PROCEEDING," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of a waist belt lined with zinc or other material,
supported chiefly by the hips, and resting on pads; to each side of the belt is
attached a buckle, and on the posterior part two buckles are also attached
anteriorly; at either side of the mesial line is attached one-half of a hinge,

page_text: the corresponding portion forming part of a binge splint, and which splint is
nearly altogether formed of polled or stop hinges united to one another at
different angles and on different curves, and strapped to the thigh, allowing
perfect freedom in every motion of the body and thigh, and effecting this
without the proper pressure on the hernia and abdomen being in any way
diminished. In the erect position of the body the splint becomes as it were a
single bar of metal fitting close to the convexity of the abdomen, the hollow
of the groin, and upper part of the thigh, and affording the most perfect point
d'appui for a pad of any description, should it be deemed necessary to use
such; but if the instrument is made to fit the abdomen and groin properly,
there can be no necessity for any. To the lower or groin hinge a metal plate
is attached on which the thigh straps are fastened, and which straps may be
lined with zinc or other material; from the back or side of the thigh strap
another strap extends which is buckled to the bip or back, and prevents any
tendency to slipping downwards. In scrotal hernia the splint is either made by
varying the form of the hinges to pass over the hernia, and is strapped to
both thighs, or if it be found more convenient to the patient a crucial plate,
regulated by a screw attached to the thigh straps, and the hinges of both
splints may be used in preference. In umbilical hernia a cross bar is used
between both splints, to which, when considerable pressure is required, a
screw pad is attached. In prolapsus uteri a similar contrivance is used. In
uterine hemorrhage, a grasp attached to the screw pad is used, which grasp
is formed umbrella-shape, giving pressure on every side of the uterus in addi-
tion to the antio-posterior pressure of tho screw pad. The grasp is regulated
by means of a screw, and together with the screw pad, which united form but
one instrument, can be used with great benefit when pressure is required in
hernia, humoralis, or in other cases where the object is to cause absorbtion by
pressure. In femoral hernia, as the splint is fastened over the hernia by the
thigh strap, its amount of pressure is perfectly obvious in this form of hernia.
In cases of hernin on one side, a single splint is only required; in hernia on
both sides, two splints. Those splints may be used attached to the waistband
of the drawers or stays, should the patient prefer this manner of using them
to a belt. The manner in which the correct size and shape of the splints is
taken is as follows:-A piece of flexible zinc is bent to the shape of the
abdomen and groin of the patient, the patient being in the erect position, and
the hinges are then joined according to the curves of the modol or measure.
Splints formed on this principle may be made of wood, cork, horn, leather,
or any material that will offer resistance, and may be used when no great
pressure is necessary; or they may be formed of india-rubber tubing or india-

page_text: rubber air cushions fluted and jointed on the principle of the splint, and
attached to the waist and thigh in the same manner.
I claim the Invention of hernia splints.
I claim the Invention of applying splints fastened to the waist and thigh,
admitting of motion, and forming a point of support for a compressor pad of
any description in the treatment of hernia.
I claim the Invention of hernia splints with hinges.
I claim the Invention of using polled or stop hinges, or plates united by
by hinges, to fit the convexity of the abdomen and the hollow of the groin
and thigh.
I claim the Invention of oblique hinges, in order to give an external and
internal lateral power of motion to the body and thigh.
I claim the uterine grasp and compress as my Invention also, and call my
said Invention the abdominal stay and curative hernia splint.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Arthur in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th February 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
ARTHUR, Doctor of Medicine, and Member of the Royal College of Surgeons
of London, of No. 1, Robert Terrace, Chelsea, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Joseph Arthur, of 1, Robert Terrace, Her special licence that I, the
said Joseph Arthur, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Joseph Arthur, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agreo with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IN-
PROVED APPARATUS FOR THE PREVENTION, CURE, AND RELIEF OF HERNIA OF EVERY
DESCRIPTION, TOGETHER WITH PROLAPSUS UTERI, UTERINE HEMORRHAGE, HERNIA,
HUMORALIS, AND AS A GENERAL SUPPORT FOR ENLARGEMENT OF THE ABDOMEN FROM
WHATEVER CAUSE PROCEEDING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the

page_text: said Joseph Arthur, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Lotters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Arthur, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My Invention (as see accompanying Drawings) consists of a splint formed
of polled or stop hinges united to one another at different angles and on
different curves, and which is fastened to a waist belt or strap through a buckle
hinge, which forms the first joint of the instrument. This instrument is also
strapped to the thigh, and allows perfect freedom of motion to the body and thigh,
and effects this without the proper pressure on the hernia and abdomen being in
any way diminished. In the erect position of the body the splint becomes as
it were a single bar of metal fitting close to the convexity of the abdomen, the
hollow of the groin, and upper part of the thigh, and affording the most
perfect point of support for a pad of any description should it be deemed
necessary to use such; but if the instrument is made to fit the abdomen and
groin properly there can be no necessity for any. To the lower or groin hinge
a metal plate is attached on which the the thigh straps are fastened; from
the back or side of the thigh strop another strap extends, which is buckled to
the bip or back, and prevents any tendency to slipping downwards. In scrotal
hernia the splint is attached to a curved piece of iron called the saddle, which
passes completely under the scrotum, and is strapped by crucial straps in
front, and at the back of either thigh to the waist belt. This saddle is also
attached to another piece of metal of a similar shape called the saddle bed,
and which bed is attached to the saddle by means of two leaver hinges, which
regulate the amount of pressure necessary on the hernia. The double scrotal
splint is formed on the same principle, but requires only the same number of
saddle straps as the single. In umbilical hernia a cross bar is used between
both splints, to which, when considerable pressure is required, a screw pad is
attached. In prolapsus uteri a similar contrivance is used. In uterine
hemorrhage a grasp attached to a screw pad is used, which grasp is formed
either hand-shape or three-sided. In hernia humoralis the grasp is rather
umbrella-shape, and regulated by a screw to make pressure from below; in
some cases, however, the screw will not be necessary; to the side of the instru-

page_text: ment bands are attached to regulate lateral pressure. In femoral hernia as
the splint is fastened over the hernia by the thigh strap its amount of power
is perfectly obvious in this form of hernia. In cases of hernia on one side, a
single splint is only required; in hernia on both sides, two splints. Those
splints may be used attached to the waistband of the drawers or stays, should
the patient prefer this manner of using them to a belt. The manner in which
the correct size and shape of the splints is taken is as follows:-A piece of
flexible zinc is bent to the shape of the abdomen and groin of the patient, and
the hinges are then joined according to the curves of the model or measure.
Though the best material for the manufacture of splints is steel or any other
hard metal, at the same time they can be made of softer metals, or even of
wood, cork, horn, leather, or any material that will offer resistance, and may
be used when no great pressure is required; or they may be formed of india-
rubber tubing or india-rubber air cushions fluted and jointed on the principle
of the splint, and attached to the waist and thigh in the same manner.
I claim the Invention of hernia splints.
I claim the Invention of uniting hinges and forming the said splints.
I claim the Invention of applying splints fastened to the waist and thigh,
admitting of motion, and forming a point of support for a compress or pad of
any description in the treatment of hernia.
I claim the Invention of using polled or stop hinges, or plates united by
hinges, to fit the convexity of the abdomen and the hollow of the groin and
thigh.
I claim the Invention of using straight binges in order to allow the body a
power of movement from behind, forwards, and downwards.
I claim the Invention of using oblique or diagonal hinges in order to admit
of an external and internal lateral power of motion to the body and thigh.
I claim the Invention of the saddle, saddle bed, and leavers in the treatment
of scrotal hernia.
I claim the uterine and scrotal grasps and compresses as my Invention also,
and call my said Invention the abdominal stay and curative bernia splint.
LOS DE ADTELLID
JOSEPH
Feby. 1864.
(2.5.)