Improvements in and relating to Therapeutical Apparatus, and Method of using the same.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Therapeutical Apparatus, and
Method of using the same.
I, AUSTIN VELOROUS MILTON SPRAGUE, a citizen of the United States of America,
residing at 476, Second Street, in the City of Brooklyn, County of Kings and State
of New York, United States of America, Inventor, 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:-
My invention is a therapeutical apparatus in which heat is employed as the
remedial agent.
Heretofore others have produced apparatus which are adapted to receive or to
be applied to a part or parts of the human body and in or by which said part or
parts are to be brought into contact with a body of hot air. The idea of treatment
by hot air is therefore not original with me. In fact, hot air has been used from
time immemorial as a heat vehicle from which heat units are taken in order to
alleviate pains and aches arising from a variety of diseases.
Before the date of my invention, however, the remedial effects of very high
temperatures were not appreciated, nor was it known how such temperatures might
be utilized without at the same time working great injury to the part under treat-
ment. In fact, it was generally understood that a heating agent having a
temperature higher than the boiling point of water would destroy the tissues of the
member undergoing treatment; but the reasons for this destruction of tissues, it
would appear, have not heretofore been thoroughly analyzed or elucidated.
Upon careful investigation of this subject discovered that the perspiration
from the pores of the skin will, when subjected to the action of heat at high
temperatures, first turn into vapor and then into steam which coming into con-
tact with the skin, produces the injurious results to which I have referred.
Having thus discovered the barrier which lay between success and failure in
the use of this type of therapeutical apparatus when operated at a very high
temperature, I endeavored to surmount it by the production of an apparatus that
would embody means for removing the vapors as rapidly as they are generated,
or before they can be heated to the steam point, or for removing steam as soon
as it is formed.
My invention, as will appear from the foregoing statement and from the claims
which form a part of this specification, contains two principal or essential features.
1st means for maintaining the temperature within the operating chamber of the
apparatus at a point above the boiling point of water, and 2nd means for removing
substantially all vapors or steam from the apparatus, thus rendering it possible
to maintain the temperature above the boiling point of water.
The means which I employ for removing the moisture which is continually
exuding to some extent from the pores of the skin of the part undergoing treat-
ment consists of devices for producing ventilative streams of air or other suitable
agent.comprising bodies that are constantly and successively entering the apparatus
in a dry state and as constantly and successively passing out therefrom in a

page_text: moisture-laden condition. The abundance of air probably renders it preferable
to any other agent for use in this connection.
In the form of. apparatus which I have shown in the accompanying drawings
and am about to describe, the heat vehicle receives heat both before and after enter-
ing the apparatus, but since the all essential feature of a successful treatment is
the maintaining of the high temperature to which I have referred, it is quite
immaterial at what point or points the heat vehicle takes the heat units with
which it is supplied.
Moreover, in the form of apparatus aforesaid, the products of combustion from
the burners do not flow to the operating chamber of the apparatus and do not
therefore commingle with the air that is within said chamber. This form of
apparatus is to be preferred to one in which the products of combustion enter the
operating chamber, because said products contain aqueous vapors, the presence
of which ought to be avoided as far as possible. However if the chamber is
sufficiently ventilated, that is to say, if there is adequate provision for removing
the vapors of perspiration that accumulate during the treatment of a patient, it
would be possible to permit the whole or a part of the products to flow into said
chamber, although great care would then have to be exercised by the attendant
in order to prevent scalding.
My apparatus is particularly adapted to the treatment of such diseases as
rheumatism, gout, sprains, and other kindred ailments and probably has other
fields of usefulness, although its capabilities have not as yet been fully tested.
Its utility in the treatment of rheumatism, gout and sprains, however, has been
satisfactorily demonstrated. The exact manner in which cures are effected is
not known, but it is supposed that the flow of blood to and from the diseased parts
is greatly stimulated by the heat and that calcareous and other deposits are carried
away in the circulation. Since the temperature of the blood is materially raised
during the period of treatment, it is possible that the blood is sterilized or rendered
barren of the diseased germs with which it is laden, the potency of a healthy
circulation in overcoming any forms of disease being well understood.
The apparatus above referred to is fully illustrated in the accompanying draw-
ings, in which :
Figure 1 is a side elevation of said apparatus,
Figure 2 is a view in cross section on the line - of Figure 1, portions of the
apparatus being shown in elevation,
Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of said apparatus, and,
Figure 4 is a rear view of said apparatus.
The apparatus consists of three casings, 1, 2 and 3, which are concentrically
arranged. The outer and intermediate casings form a flue for the passage of a
heat vehicle flowing from any convenient source as, for instance, the products of
combustion arising from a gas burner 4 which is situated just below an opening
in the bottom of the outer casing 1. The intermediate casing is the casing for
the hot air and it is provided at one end with a door 5 and at the other end with
a flexible covering 6 which may be drawn about the limb of the patient in such a
manner as to prevent the escape of the hot air at that point. This casing is pro-
vided with ventilative tubes 7, 8, which are suitably secured thereto and which
extend at least as far as the outer wall of the apparatus so as to receive cool air
from the atmosphere below and discharge hot air into the atmosphere above. The
upper tubes communicate with openings in the outer casing, while the lower tubes
hang pendent between the separated edges of the plate which forms the outer
casing.
The inner casing 3 is provided with numerous perforations c. This casing is
adapted to contain the patient's limb and it is perforated in order that a perfect.
ventilation may be insured. The air from the tubes 7, 8, will thus enter and pass
out of the casing 3 at various points, and will carry off the vapor from the
evaporation of the perspiration of the patient's limb in its passage through said
chamber.

page_text: Pads 9 of felt or other soft material which is incapable of conducting heat to
any, appreciable extent, are arranged longitudinally, circumferentially or radially
within the casing 3 and between its perforations. These pads are shown in the
drawings as longitudinally arranged, but I do not wish to be limited to this arrange-
ment.
The admission and emission of air are regulated by slide dampers 10, 10", which
are situated adjacent to the inner ends of the ventilative tubes 7, 8, respectively.
These slide dampers are connected with an operating lever 11 which spans the outer
cylinder and is suitably pivoted thereto. A gauge 12 is secured to the outer side
of said outer casing so that the lever'11 and the slide dampers which it operates
may be regulated thereby. The slide dampers being both connected to the same
lever are thus made simultaneously adjustable.
The escape of the products of combustion arising from the burner is permitted
through a chimney situated in the top of the outer casing.
The respective casings are secured to the annular head pieces 13 and 14 which
carry the door 5 and the flexible covering 6.
The door has a glass panel or bull's eye 17 which permits the operator to view
the interior of the apparatus and visually determine any excess of vapour that is
present. Said door is also provided with suitable hinges 18 and a keeper 19,
which, when the door is shut, will insure its closely fitting a ring 20 which is
arranged within the head piece 13.
The flexible covering .6 is secured to a ring 21 which fits within the annular
head piece 14.
Thermometers 22 and 23 extend from the interior of the casing 3 to the outside,
of the apparatus where they are suitably protected by casings 24 and 25. A
portion of each thermometer lies parallel to the inner wall of the casing 3 and the
free end of the thermometer extends vertically through a passage way (not shown)
in each annular head piece and the rings carried thereby, said thermometers being
supported as well as protected by the pads which project from the wall of the
casing on either side of the same.
Situated just below the opening in the outer casing is the above mentioned
burner 4 having two parallel tubes 26 and 27 which are perforated and extend
substantially the length of the apparatus. These tubes receive an adequate supply
of commingled air and gas from an ordinary Bunsen burner mixing device 28ª
which communicates with them.
The entire apparatus is supported upon a frame 28 secured to the outer casing.
This frame is supported by a base 30 having a vertical tubular portion within
which an externally threaded pedestal 29 is adapted to reciprocate. The pedestal
carries the arms 31 and 32 upon which the frame for the apparatus is pivotally
mounted, and said pedestal is operated by an internally threaded hand wheel 33
which rests upon the top of the tubular portion of the base. A slot e in the
tubular portion receives a projection f on the pedestal so as to limit the movement
of the latter up and down.
An extension 34, integrally connected to the arm 31, carries a hand screw 35
which operates in the internally threaded bushing 36 on the extension...
A lever 37 is rigidly connected to the axis 31 of the frame 28 and the hand
screw 35 is connected to the lever by a ball and socket joint.
The combination of elements last described comprises a device by which the
apparatus may be oscillated and thus rendered capable of being tilted to various
inclinations.
In the use of this apparatus the casings are adjusted to the proper height and
inclination, and the limb of the patent is inserted, the door being closed and the
flexible covering drawn closely about the limb. When the burner or other heating
apparatus is put into, operation, if the heat arising therefrom is sufficient, the
limb of the patient will begin to perspire to some extent. This perspiration becom-
ing heated and vaporized must be carried off before or soon after it assumes the

page_text: gaseous state, in order not to scald the limb as above stated. The slide dampers
controlling the admission and emission of the air to and from the apparatus are
therefore manipulated by means of their lever, and by observations at the bull's
eye they are regulated accordingly.
It is of course possible that the temperature may become greater than is desirable
in any given case, though the air within the casing is kept perfectly dry. For
this reason the thermometers may be frequently consulted and the supply of heat
governed accordingly, by regulating the flow of gas to the burner. This will
seldom be found necessary, however, because, the temperature within the apparatus
may rise to 300° or over without injury, provided the operator carefully regulates
the flow of fresh air to and from the apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a therapeutical apparatus, the combination of a chamber adapted to receive
or to be applied to a part of the human body, means for maintaining the tempera-
ture within said chamber above the boiling point of water and means for admitting
such a current of dry air to said chamber as will remove the vapors arising from the
part of the body being treated as rapidly as they are generated, substantially as
described.
2. In a therapeutical apparatus, the combination of an air chamber adapted to
receive the limb of a patient, means for continually heating, and maintaining the
temperature of, the air within said chamber above the boiling point of water, and
means for admitting such volume of air to said chamber as to continually effect
the displacement of the accumulating vapor, substantially as described.
3. In a therapeutical apparatus, the combination of an air chamber adapted to
receive the limb of a patient, means for heating the air within said chamber,
and means for continually admitting a current of substantially dry air to, and thereby
expelling moisture from, said chamber, substantially as described.
4. In a therapeutical apparatus, the combination of an air chamber adapted to
receive the limb of a patient, means for heating the air within said chamber,
means for continually admitting a current of substantially dry air to, and thereby
expelling moist air from, said chamber, and means for regulating the temperature
in said chamber, substantially as described.
5. In a therapeutical apparatus, the combination of an air chamber adapted to
receive the limb of a patient, means for heating the air within said chamber, a
series of tubes for continually admitting a current of substantially dry air to said
chamber to expel moist air therefrom and another series of tubes for continually
discharging said moist air from said chamber, dampers for each of said series of
tubes, and means for operating said dampers, substantially as described.
6. In a therapeutical apparatus, the combination of an air chamber adapted to
receive the limb of a patient, means for heating the air within said chamber, a
series of tubes for continually admitting a current of substantially dry air to said
chamber to expel moist air therefrom and another series of tubes for con-
tinually discharging said moist air from said chamber, dampers for each of
said series of tubes, and a lever for simultaneously operating said dampers, sub-
stantially as described.
7. In a therapeutical apparatus, an air chamber adapted to receive the limb of
a patient and provided with ventilative openings, a flue surrounding said air
chamber, and a source of heat communicating therewith and situated below said
air chamber and in contiguity to said openings so as to induce a current of sub-
stantially dry air to said chamber, substantially as described.
8. In a therapeutical apparatus, an air chamber provided with ventilative open-
ings, a perforated casing arranged within said chamber and adapted to receive the
limb of a patient, a flue surrounding said air chamber, and a source of heat com-
municating therewith and situated below said chamber and in contiguity to said

page_text: openings so as to induce a current of substantially dry air to said chamber, sub-
stantially as described.
9. A therapeutical apparatus consisting of the concentrically arranged inner,
intermediate and outer casings, the inner casing being perforated and adapted to
receive the limb of a patient and the outer casing being open at the top and bottom,
a heating apparatus beneath said bottom opening in the outer casing, a series of
tubes communicating with the intermediate casing and projecting through the
bottom opening in the outer casing and below the heating apparatus, another
series of tubes communicating with the top of said intermediate casing and extend-
ing through the outer casing, one of said series of tubes being adapted to admit
fresh air to, and the other of said series of tubes being. adapted to discharge moist
air from, the intermediate casing, slide dampers for controlling the supply of
air through the tubes, and an operating lever for simultaneously operating the
damper of each of said series of tubes, substantially as described.
10. A therapeutical apparatus consisting of the concentrically arranged inner,
outer and intermediate cylinders, the inner cylinder being perforated, adapted to
receive the limb of a patient and provided with internally arranged protective pads,
the intermediate cylinder having a series of tubes for admitting fresh air to the bot-
tom thereof, and the outer cylinder having an opening at the top and bottom, means
situated beneath said bottom opening in the outer cylinder for heating the air
therein and in the intermediate cylinder, slide dampers for the tubes arranged on
the intermediate cylinder, an operating lever for the dampers fulcrumed on the
outer cylinder and adapted to simultaneously adjust said dampers, a gauge for
the lever, a door adapted to close the cylinders at one end and provided with an
observation port, and a flexible covering secured to the other end of the outer
cylinder, substantially as described.
11. In a therapeutical apparatus, the combination of an air chamber adapted to
receive. the limb of a patient, a plurality of parallel burners for heating the air
within said chamber and situated below the same, and lower or inlet tubes and
upper or outlet tubes communicating with said chamber, said lower tubes being
arranged between and having their mouths situated slightly below said burners
and said burners being adapted to induce ventilative streams of fresh air through
the tubes and the chamber, substantially as described.
12. In a therapeutical apparatus, an air chamber adapted to receive the limb of
a patient and provided with means for continually ventilating said chamber, a flue
surrounding said chamber, and a heating apparatus situated beneath and com-
municating with said flue and adapted to induce a heated, continuous and
enveloping current of air into contact with said air chamber, substantially as
described.
13. In a therapeutical apparatus, an air chamber adapted to receive the limb
of a patient and provided with upper and lower ventilative openings, a flue sur-
rounding said air chamber, and a heating apparatus communicating with said
flue and situated contiguous to the lower ventilative openings in the air chamber,
and adapted to induce a heated, continuous and enveloping current of air into con
tact with said chamber and to project streams of fresh air through said ventilative
openings in the chamber, substantially as described.
14. In a therapeutical apparatus, the combination with an operating chamber
adapted to receive the limb of a patient and provided with a supporting frame, of
a base therefor, a vertical externally threaded pedestal telescoped into said base, an
adjusting internally threaded hand wheel for the pedestal operating thereon and
resting on the base, laterally extending arms carried by said pedestal, an extension
projecting forwardly and upwardly from the ends of one of said arms, an axis
for said chamber rigidly secured to the frame and having bearings in said arms,
an upwardly extending lever secured to the end of said axis adjacent to the
extension, and an adjusting hand-screw for tilting said chamber operating in the
upper end of the extension and having a ball and socket connection with the lever,
substantially as described.

page_text: 15. The method of treating part or parts of the human body, which consists in
subjecting said part or parts to the action of air the temperature of which is above
the boiling point of water, and maintaining the said air in a substantially dry
condition, substantially as described.
7₁
16. The method of treating a part or parts of the human body, which consists in
subjecting the same to the action of air the temperature of which is above the
boiling point of water, and in maintaining the said air in a substantially dry con-
dition by displacing the same with fresh increments of substantially dry air as
rapidly as it becomes saturated with moisture, substantially as described.
Doted this Tifth day of Anil 1000
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.