Improvements in Surgical Instruments or Appliances.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 5th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1804
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Surgical Instruments or Appliances.
I, JOHANNES SCHMIDT-STORJOHANN, of 11, Humlegardsgat, Stockholm,
Sweden, Doctor of Medicine, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
This invention relates to an instrument or appliance for the direct discharge or
aspiration of fluid, which is not influenced by atmospheric air pressure, of such as
trans and exuccous segregations as fluids and gases which by physio and pathological
processes are formed in the inner cavities and tissues of the human body, through
the skin and membranes, with or without sores namely, first, by capillarity or the
capillary force which may be augmented by a feeble electric current from the
negative pole in the apparatus, and, second; by diminution of a volume of air
confined over the fluid.
The instrument or appliance heretofore used for the purpose of discharging such
segregations formed during a sickly state in the inner cavities and tissues of the
human body, consists of a hermetic vessel, in which a vacuum more or less complete
is maintained by means of a pump, which vessel, by means of a convenient pipe is
arranged in communication with the instrument or nozzle used for the operation, so
as to discharge the segregation from the body into the vessel through the vacuum
in the latter and thus transmitting the segregation to the atmosphere through air
pressure. But this takes place in a very violent manner with too great a force,
frequently causing accidents, the final result being generally very different from
what has been expected, because of the impossibility to exactly calculate the action
upon the organism at the moment of segregation.
my
The instrument or appliance constructed in accordance with invention
operates, on the contrary, in a mild, natural way, by capillarity, which may be
augmented by a feeble but constant electric current from the negative pole in the
apparatus.
In annexed drawing Fig. 1 is a section of the instrument or appliance arranged
in communication with a puncturation needle by means of a flexible pipe, Fig. 2
is a nozzle and Fig. 3 a separate tubular capillary funnel in section and plan.
The instrument or appliance consists of an aspiration vessel a, preferably of glass
formed with three separate openings. The upper opening b serves to admit fluid
under and into which the respective organic segregations are to be discharged, and
receives the lower end of an air vessel c of glass, ebony, or the like, tubular in
form and projecting into the vessel a so as to form a capillary funnel with a small
opening of about 0.5 millimeter in diameter towards the cavity of the air vessel, which
latter through the capillary funnel is thus brought into communication with the
aspiration vessel a itself. The openings at the bottom of the vessel are formed
diametrically opposite each other. One of these openings d is closed hermetically
with a pluge of glass, ebony, or the like formed with a conical channel ending in a
small opening and thus formning a capillary funnel, which effects the communication
between the puncturation needle or nozzle and the aspiration vessel. The
opening g on the vessel a serves to empty the latter when the operation is finished
and is hermetically closed by a plug h during the time of operation.
Supposing it is desired to discharge fluid say from the lungsac chamber, the
apparatus is prepared as shown in Fig. 1, i.e. the aspiration vessel a is filled with a
convenient fluid, say distilled water to a height reaching a little above the said
openings at the bottom; the air vessel c and the plug h are hermetically fixed as
well as the capillary funnel e, with its capillary opening pointing into the aspiration

page_text: vessel and finally the capillary funnel e by means of the flexible tube f, both
naturally filled with distilled water, brought into communication with the
puncturation needle. The latter is introduced as usually through skin and tissues
into the said cavity.
Now when the needle is withdrawn the liquid flowing out from the cavity
following the needle, completes the liquid communication between the cavity and
the instrument or appliance whereby the latter begins to work according to the
scientific principals hereinbefore mentioned.
The discharge of the fluid can be facilitated, i.e. may be hastened by cooling the
air vessel in some convenient manner, whereby a diminution of air pressure existing
in the air vessel is effected.
Instead of hastening the said discharge in the manner described an electric
current may be used at the same time. This current must be constant and of a
feeble tension and the negative pole of the circuit be arranged in a convenient
manner at the aspiration vessel and the positive pole at the body.
Also a like result is to be attained by the arrangement of a number of capillary
funnels in the same conduct.
The puncturation needle may be substituted, for example by a cup like nozzle,
shown in Fig. 2, which may also be formed with a capillary passage. This nozzle
is used osmotically to discharge segregations from the surface of a tissue as well
from a slime tissue such as a suppurating skins. This nozzle is brought into com-
munication with the aspiration vessel a in the same manner as the said puncturation
needle, that is by means of the flexible pipe f
To effect the absolute tightness between the surface of the skin and the said
nozzle, essential for a good working of the apparatus, the nozzle may be fitted with
à rubber valve.
The instrument or appliance described serves also to introduce medicines in a
liquid state into the surface of tissues by means of capillarity or endosmose.
In
this case the aspiration vessel a must be filled almost entirely with the respective
medicine for example with sublimate or any other antiseptic solution, another
capillary funnel e¹, Fig. 3, being employed in the opening d in lieu of e with its
capillary opening pointing outwards and connected with the flexible pipe, which
latter establishes communication with the said nozzle. The process. in this case
being facilitated by warming the air vessel.
To secure the flexible pipe to the capillary funnels e, e', the outer ends of the
latter are formed with flanges. Consequently for different purposes, discharging
or introducing fluid, different capillary funnels with the capillary hole turned in
different directions are employed. If the different plugs were cylindrical and the
openings in the aspiration vessel likewise it will be sufficient to place the capillary
hole in the direction best suited for the operation, but in this case no safe fastening
for the flexible tube is provided.
It may be remarked that the apparatus described may be used for discharging
of segregations or introducing of medicine through both openings d & $ at the
bottom of the vessel simultaneously, for which purpose the opening requires only
fitting with a capillary funnel such as d and to be connected with another nozzle
by means of another flexible pipe.
In lieu of connecting a flexible pipe to one of the capillary funnels it may be
formed with a nozzle for instance shown in Fig. 2.
It is evident that the instrument or appliance may be of another form than that
shown in the drawing and the different parts of the same, i.e. the vessel a, the air
vessel C, the capillary funnel or funnels e, e' and also the nozzle may be arranged
concentrically round or on each other.
Dated this 3rd day of June 1893.
F. BOSSHARDI & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Surgical Instruments or Appliances.
I, JOHANNES SCHMIDT-STORJOHANN, of 11, Humlegardsgat, Stockholm,
Sweden, Doctor of Medicine, 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 an instrument or appliance for the direct discharge or
aspiration of fluid, which is not influenced by atmospheric air pressure, of such as
trans and exuccous segregations as fluids and gases which by physio and pathological
processes are formed in the inner cavities and tissues of the human body through
the skin and membrances with or without sores, namely, first, by capillarity or the
capillary force which may be augmented by a feeble electric current from the
negative pole in the apparatus, and second by dimination of a volume of air confined
over the fluid.
The instrument or appliance heretofore used for the purpose of discharging such
segregations formed during a sickly state in the inner cavities and tissues of the
human body consist of a hermetic vessel, in which a vacuum more or less complete
is maintained by means of a pump which vessel by means of a convenient pipe is
arranged in communication with the instrument or nozzle used for the operation, so
as to discharge the segregation from the body into the vessel through the vaccum
in the latter and thus transmitting the segregation to the atmosphere through.air
pressure. But this takes place in a very violent manner with too great a force
frequently causing accidents and the final result being generally very different
from what has been expected because of the impossibility to exactly calculate the
action upon the organism at the moment of segregation.
The instrument or appliance constructed in accordance with my invention operates
on the contrary in a mild natural way by capillarity, which may be augmented
by a feeble but constant electric current from the negative pole in the apparatus.
Referring to the drawing filed with my Provisional Specification,
Fig. 1 is a section of the instrument or appliance arranged in communication
with a puncturation needle by means of a flexible pipe.
Fig. 2 is a nozzle and
Fig. 3 a separate tubular capillary funnel in section and plan.
The instrument or appliance consists of an aspiration vessel a preferably of glass
formed with three separate openings. The upper opening b serves to admit fluid
under and into which the respective organic segregations are to be discharged and
receives the lower end of an air vessel c of glass, ebony, or the like tubular in form
and projecting into the vessel a so as to form a capillary funnel with a small
opening of about 0-5. millemeter in diameter towards the cavity of the air vessel
which latter through the capillary funnel is thus brought into communication with
the aspiration vessel a itself. The openings at the bottom of the vessel are formed
diametrically opposite each other. One of these openings d is closed hermetically
with a plug e of glass, ebony, or the like formed with a conical channel ending in a
small opening and thus forming a capillary funnel which effects the communication
between the puncturation needle or nozzlei and the aspiration vessel. The third
opening g on the vessel a serves to empty the latter when the operation is finished
and is hermetically closed by a plug during the time of operation.
Supposing it is desired to discharge fluid, say from the lungsac chamber the
apparatus is prepared, as shown in Fig. 1, i.e. the aspiration vessel a is filled
with a convenient fluid say distilled water to a height reaching a little above
the said openings at the bottom, the air vessel c and the plug are hermetically
fixed as well as the capillary funnel e with its capillary opening pointing into
the aspiration vessel and finally the capillary funnel e by means of the flexible
tube both naturally filled with distilled water, brought into communication with

page_text: the puncturation needle. The latter is introduced as usually through skin and
tissues into the said cavity.
Now when the needle is withdrawn the liquid flowing out from the cavity following
the needle completes the liquid communication between the cavity and the
instrument or appliance whereby the latter begins to work according to the
scientific principals herein before mentioned.
The discharge of the fluid can be facilitated, i.e. may be hastened by cooling the
air vessel in some convenient manner whereby a dimination of air pressure existing
in the air vessel is effected.
Instead of hastening the said discharge in the manner described an electric
current may be used at the same time. This current must be constant and of a
feeble tension and the negative pole of the circuit be arranged in a convenient
manner at the aspiration vessel and the positive pole at the body.
Also a like result is to be obtained by the arrangement of a number of capillary
funnels in the same conduct.
The puncturation needle may be substituted, for example by a cuplike nozzle,
shown in Fig. 2, which may also be formed with a capillary passage. This nozzle
is used osmotically to discharge segregations from the surface of a tissue as well
from a slime tissue such as a suppurating skins. This nozzle is brought into
communication with the aspiration vessel a in the same manner as the said
puncturation needle, that is by means of the flexible tube f.
To effect the absolute tightness between the surface of the skin and the said
nozzle essential for a good working of the apparatus the nozzle may be fitted with
a rubber valve.
The instrument or appliance described serves also to introduce medicine in a
liquid state into the cavities of the human body or into the surface of tissues by
means of capillarity or endosmose. In this case the aspiration vessel a must be filled
almost entirely with the respective medicine for example with sublimate or any
other antiseptic solution, another capillary funnel e', Fig. 3, being employed in the
opening d in lieu of e with its capillary opening pointing outwards and connected
with the flexible pipe f which latter establishes communication with the said nozzle.
The process in this case being facilitated by warming the air vessel.
To secure the flexible pipe to the capillary funnels e, e', the outer ends of the
latter are formed with flanges. Consequently for different purposes, discharging
or introducing fluid, different capillary funnels with the capillary hole turned in
different directions are employed. If the different plugs were cylindrical and the
openings in the aspiration vessel likewise it will be sufficient to place the capillary
hole in the direction best suited for the operation but in this case no safe fastening
for the flexible tube is provided.
It may be remarked that the apparatus described may be used for discharging of
segregations or introducing of medicine through both openings d & g at the bottom
of the vessel simultaneously, for which purpose the opening g only requires fitting
with a capillary funnel such as d and to be connected with another nozzle by means
of another flexible pipe.
In lieu of connecting a flexible pipe to one of the capillary funnels it may be
formed with a nozzle for instance as shown in Fig. 2.
It is evident that the instrument or appliance may be of another form than that
shown in the drawing and the different parts of the same, i.e. the vessel a, the air
vessel c, the capillary funnel or funnels e, e', and also the nozzle may be arranged
concentrically round or on each other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim, is-
The combination in a hermetic apparatus of an aspiration vessel (a), an air
vessel (c), and one or more capillary funnels (e, e¹), the forming or communicating
with convenient instruments or nozzles for the purpose of discharging, by means of

page_text: capillarity, from the cavities in the interior of the human body or by means of
osmose, from the tissue surfaces aspire sickly segregations and also by means of the
capillarity or endosmose to introduce in the said cavities or tissues medicines or
antiseptic solutions, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 3rd day of March 1894.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester, Agents to Applicant.