An Improved Medical Dry Bath for Applying Superheated Steam or Gases and Medicines in Vapour to the Human Body.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Sept., 1893-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Medical Dry Bath for Applying Superheated Steam or
Gases and Medicines in Vapour to the Human Body.
We THOMAS HENRY REES of 8 Quality Court Chancery Lane EVELYN
DIANA TURNOUR SHEFFIELD, Langham Hotel, W., no occupation, and LEWIS
ABRAHAM TALLERMAN 1 & 2 Chiswell Street Finsbury Square E.C. no
occupation do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
We construct a bath, receptacle or case of a suitable size and shape for the part
of the body to be enclosed or operated upon; it may be made of wood metal or
other material and may be open at the one end only or it may be open at both the
ends the open end or ends having india rubber or some steam proof flexible
material so arranged and attached that it fits round the end or ends of the bath
receptacle or case and can also be bandaged round the parts of the body so that a
portion of such body is enclosed in a steam and air tight chamber. To this bath
receptacle or case we attach by tubes or otherwise, a steam generator an air pump
and a vapourizer so that they may be used separately or together as required.
The bath receptacle or case here described may be in one piece a hot tube or
case or it may be divided so that the top part will take off like a lid or cover.
With a bath receptacle or case thus constructed we apply to the human body or
to a part of the body, superheated steam-gases and medicines in vapour-for the
relief of pain or for the cure of disease. The steam gases and vapours we can
introduce with pressure or in a condensed or natural state and when the atmosphere
has been partially or wholy removed from the bath so that contact and absorbtion
may be induced or compelled.
The steam generator or the air pump or both may be a part of the bath itself
or we may put water or medicated water into the bath and vapourize it by heat
applied directly to the bath.
Dated this 12th day of June 1893.
THOMAS HENRY REES.
E. D. T. SHEFFIELD.
LEWIS A. TALLERMAN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Medical Dry Bath for Applying Superheated Steam or
Gases and Medicines in Vapour to the Human Body.
We THOMAS HENRY REES of 8 Sandland Street Bedford Row London W.C.
Patentee EVELYN DIANA TURNOUR SHEFFIELD, of Langham Hotel, London, W.,
no occupation, and LEWIS ABRAHAM TALLERMAN, 1 and 2 Chiswell Street
Finsbury London E.C., no occupation 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 :-
The objects of this our invention, are to apply superheated steam or gases and
vapours at high temperatures or medicines in a state of gas or vapour locally to the
human body that is to any limbs or other portion of the human body for the relief
of pain or the cure of desease, in the part afflicted, without having to enclose in
the bath the whole or even a large part of the body which often causes constitutional
disturbances of a serious nature and also in some cases prevents the use of high
temperatures necessary to effect a cure.

page_text: For this bath we construct a cylinder of preferably brass or copper the joint
being preferably braized or rivited. Round each end of the cylinder we put a
band of metal outside about 1 inch wide to strengthen and finish the edges. If the
body of the cylinder be copper these bands should.be of brass, or if the body of the
cylinder be brass the bands should be of copper. The size of these cylinders should
be 14 inches long with a diameter of 14 inches but if intended for joining together
to convert into a leg bath the diameter should be 16 inches the length remaining
14 inches. This cylinder forms the outside case or body of the bath, but this outer
cylinder may be dispensed with without affecting our invention, and in cases where
the temperature required to be produced is very high the dispensing with the outer
case and applying the heat to the inner case will be advantageous.
.
Another cylinder of copper or brass is made 16 inches long and of such diameter
that it will just slide in and out of the outer cylinder already described. The ends of
this inner cylinder should also be finished with metal bands or hoops which will besides
adding strength secure a slight air space between it and the outer cylinder. The
inner cylinder should project slightly beyond the outer cylinder.
A lid or cover of metal is made which can be fitted steam tight over one end of this
inner case or cylinder so as to close it up. A sheet of perforated zinc or of brass
wire gauze; we prefer the latter is rolled round into a cylinder of such a size that it
fits easily inside the inner cylinder of the bath. The gauze cylinder must be
slightly longer than the inner cylinder. A piece of wool felt is sewn on the one
side of the perforated zinc, or wire gauze, the felt being turned over the edges all
round, and sewn down and round to avoid the risk of contact with the cylinders
when heated. There must be one or more taps or stop cocks, on the top of the
bath, communicating through both cylinders for letting out heat or vapour and
connecting the bath with an air pump, or for admitting steam gases or medicines in
vapour.

page_text: There should also be a tap or stop cock in the bottom of the bath communicating
through both cylinders for letting out heavy gases, or condensed vapour, or for
admitting light gases, and vapours.
On the end of the inner case of the bath, not closed in with the steam tight cover,
is attached a case of india rubber, or india rubber cloth, or india rubber tissue, or
leather cloth, or other suitable air and steam proof material, the one edge of this
material being secured round the projecting edge of the inner metal cylinder of the
bath, and the other left to be bandaged round the limb of the patient.
If it is required to slide the limb through, so as to put the elbow in, and leave
the hand out, then a case of india rubber, or india rubber cloth, similar to that already
described, is attached to the other end, the metal cover being removed, and the part
operated on bandaged both above and below. In this way the arm bath may be
used to operate upon the knee.

page_text: A gas stove or lamp underneath is then lighted, and all the taps shut off.
In about 10 minutes a therinometer inside will register about 140°, and the bath
will begin to fill with steam.
This will continue until 200° or 210° is shewn by the thermometer.
The stop cock is then opened for a few minutes, to permit the surplus steam to
escape. Then the tap is closed and the thin steam or vapour inside, becomes super-
heated, rarified and dry, and the temperature rises rapidly to 240° or 268°.
The gas is then shut off, or the lamp is removed, and the air pump may be
attached, and a partial vacuum produced inside the bath, which causes a powerful
suction of the skin to take place. Gases, or medicated vapours, may now be
introduced into the bath, and further heat applied if desired. By this method not
only can very great heat be applied to diseased parts of the human body but heat
much greater than by any steam or vapour process at present known, and gases,
ethers, and medicines, may be applied to the surface of the skin, when the pores are
all opened, and prepared for absorption, and when atmospheric influences have
been removed.
The methods above described of applying the heat direct to the outer or inner
cylinders or cases may be varied, and superheated steam or other vapours or gases
may be generated in a separate boiler and introduced into the bath by means of
the taps or cocks before indicated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. A bath for the local application of superheated steam, vapours, gases, or hot
dry air to the human body substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The local application of superheated steam, vapours, gases or hot dry air to
the human body by means of a bath substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated the 22nd day of September 1893.
THOS. H. REES.
E. D. T. SHEFFIELD.
LEWIS A. TALLERMAN.
Theo McKenna,
Agent.
THOS. H. REES.
E. D. T. SHEFFIELD.
LEWIS A. TALLERMAN.
Theo McKenna,
Agent.