A NEW OR IMPROVED INSTRUMENT FOR PERFORMING GYMNASTIC EXERCISES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
INSTRUMENT FOR PERFORMING GYMNASTIC EXERCISES." A communication from
abroad by Charles Klemm, of Riga, in the Empire of Russia.
Sealed the 9th November 1877, and dated the 2nd August 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd August 1877.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "A NEW OR IMPROVED INSTRUMENT FOR PERFORMING GYMNASTIC
EXERCISES." A communication from abroad by Charles Klemm, of Riga, in the
Empire of Russia.
This Invention relates to means to be employed for the mechanical exitation of
the muscles by the process of beating, more especially for effecting the cure of
various diseases of the human frame; but it is also applicable for performing
gymnastic exercises for other than curative purposes, and it consists of an instru-
ment (to be designated a muscle beater), which may be used by the patient himself
or the person to be operated upon without the aid of an attendant, and which is
composed of a series of hollow tubes or fingers of vulcanized india-rubber or other
suitable elastic or flexible material, provided by preference for a portion only of
their length with internal elastic stays or supports of cane, whalebone, hard india-
rubber, spring steel, or other material adapted for the purpose, and of a form
tapering towards their upper ends, the tubes or fingers with their enclosed supports
being arranged side by side and connected together at a point intermediate between
their extremities, whilst the whole terminates in a cap, covering, or handle of india-
rubber or other suitable material, rendered partially rigid by the insertion in its
interior of a convenient support or otherwise.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th
January 1878.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "A NEW OR IMPROVED INSTRUMENT FOR PERFORMING GYMNASTIC
EXERCISES." A communication from abroad by Charles Klemm, of Riga, in the
Empire of Russia.
The said Invention relates to means to be employed for the mechanical excitation
of the muscles by the process of beating, more especially for effecting the cure of
various diseases of the human frame; but it is also applicable for performing
gymnastic excercises for other than curative purposes, and it consists of an instru-
nient (to be designated a "muscle beater"), which may be used by the patient
himself or the person to be operated upon without the aid of an attendant, and
which is composed of a series of hollow tubes or fingers of vulcanized india-rubber
or other suitable elastic material, provided by preference for a portion only of their
length with internal clastic stays or supports of cane, whalebone, hard india-rubber,
spring steel, or other material adapted for the purpose, and of a form tapering
towards their upper ends, the tubes or fingers with their enclosed supports being
arranged side by side and connected together at a point intermediate between their
extremities, whilst the whole terminates in a cap, covering, or handle of india-rubber
or other suitable material, rendered partially rigid by the insertion in its interior of
a convenientsupport or otherwise.
It is well known that a powerful sanative action is obtained by mechanical
manipulations in cases of slowness or deficiency of perepherical innervation and
capillary circulation.
In addition to what are termed duplicate motions (resisting motions) generally
employed with advantage in establishments for medical gymnastics, the success of
many important cures has been principally owing to passive manipulations, especially
to "beating" and "chopping."
It has been found that in curing various disorders in the peripherical blood
circulation, such for example as congestions in organs of the head, the chest, and
the abdomen, tendency to apoplexy in cases of paralysis, weakness, stiffness of
limbs, and the like, the best results are obtained by mechanical excitation of the
muscles through the process of "beating" and "chopping."
Now the said Invention has for its object rendering this simple and natural
remedy adapted for practical domestic use without the necessity for the aid of
another person, and this object is obtained by means of the instrument before
referred to and herein-after more fully described with reference to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, the use of the said instrument being an imitation of the action
of the manipulating fingers of the gymnasts.
Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a front view of the muscle beater; Figure 2
is a horizontal section taken along the line 1-2 (Figure 1); Figure 3 is a vertical
section taken along the line 3-4 (Figure 2); and Figure 4 is a vertical section
taken along the line 5-6 (Figure 2).
The muscle beater principally consists of three elastic tubes or fingers a, a, a,
each say of about the bulk of the human finger, which are connected with each
other in the manner herein-after explained.
Their length, as well as the thickness of material employed, may vary according
to the different purposes which the instrument is intended to serve. For example,
in cases of deficient alimentation of the exterior periphery of the brain, and of the
head in general, causing nervous headache, accompanied with great irritability, it is
necessary to use thin walled, short, and very soft muscle heaters, while for reviving
the activity of blood vessels, in limbs of a vigorous muscular structure, a thick
walled, longer, and harder instrument is required. The muscle beater therefore
should always be specially adapted to the different modes of its medical use.

page_text: It has been ascertained by experiment that for answering all purposes it is
advisable to provide about nine sizes of muscle beaters, differing in length, and
subdivided into three different types as to the thickness of the walls of the tubes.
The three connected hollow fingers or tubes a, a, a, forming the muscle beater,
are made of vulcanized india-rubber, the specific weight of which should be adapted
to the use for which the instrument is destined, that is to say, the walls of the
different muscle beaters are to be of more springy or more solid structure, according
to the service they are required to render.
The diameter of the tubes varies likewise according to the different uses, the size
indicated being a close approximation.
In order to obtain a regular and springy swinging of the three connected parts
of the muscle beater in the manipulating action, each tube is provided inside with
a flattened cane stick b, of say about two-thirds of its whole length placed in such
a manner that a part of the tube at the upper end opposite the handle d is left free.
The sticks in thick walled tubes are shorter; those in the thinned wall are longer.
The sticks are gradually flattened towards their upper ends; their diameter depends
on the specific weight and the length of tube. At the lower end (the handle) the
sticks are conveniently placed alongside of each other, and united with the india-
rubber so as to prevent their becoming loose and entering the upper free part of
the tubes.
For forming a handle d to the muscle beater the three tubes and sticks may be
tied together with hempen string, then wrapped in some fabric; and, lastly, covered
with net or tresswork, or with an india-rubber cap.
The handle should possess a certain amount of rigidity, which may be readily
obtained by placing some convenient object inside.
It is obvious that the handle may be made in any suitable form and manner
more or less costly and refined.
In order to give more consistence to the separate parts of the muscle beater, the
three tubes are tied together by a string or band at c, c, c, (towards the lower third
of their length).
The cane sticks b serving to produce a regular springy action may be replaced
by stays of spring steel, hard india-rubber, whalebone, or other elastic material.
The tubes or fingers a may also be of some other suitable material in lieu of
vulcanized india-rubber, and their number may likewise be varied, but the arrange-
ment previously described and illustrated in the Drawing is preferred.
The muscle beater should always be adapted in length, elasticity, and solidity to
the different modes of use to which it is destined.
Delicate persons should employ the thin walled type, while individuals of a
powerful muscular system should adopt a thick walled muscle beater.
To render the beating sufficiently soft, elastic, and springy, it is to be performed
by the action of the wrist rather than of the whole arm.
Every muscle beating should be performed crescendo and decrescendo
K>/
that is to say, should be strongest in the middle of the time, during which it takes
place, and applied more gently in the beginning and towards the end of the
manipulation.
If in the manipulation a regular even contact of the body with the tubes of the
muscle beater is desired, it should not be performed too rapidly, and the measure
of a moderate "allegretto" /4/4/ should be maintained.
The limbs, arms and legs, especially the lower extremities, should undergo a
more vigorous beating, while the head, the chest, and the abdomen are to be
manipulated inore gently. Every muscle beating is to be continued until an
elevation of temperature is felt in the manipulated parts.
It is always useful in muscle beating to make pauses of 1 or 2 minutes because
only during these interruptions it is possible exactly to ascertain the degree of tenu-
perature in the part subjected to the manipulation.

page_text: The time of manipulating any single part of the body should not exceed, say
about ten minutes, including the pauses.
Whenever it is required for some particular purpose to apply prolonged local
beatings, it is advisable from time to time to manipulate the whole body all over.
It is very important that the action be not hindered by clothing; a shirt, drawers,
and stockings are the most suitable attire for performing muscle beating with facility
in every direction.
In cases of cold feet, for example, muscle beating is to be performed in the
following manner, videlicet:-The person manipulating is to take off the shoes,
keeping however stockings on and assume a sitting posture; then the left leg is
laid on the right knee in such a manner that the left sole may be easily manipulated
by the right hand.
For beating the right sole, the muscle beater must necessarily be held in the left
hand. A little practice, however, only is required in order to attain sufficient
address in the left hand for performing this operation..
Beating of the top part of the foot and the toes is best accomplished when the
patient places his foot on a chair, care being taken to interpose some soft substance
under the sole, which has the effect of greatly diminishing the sensitiveness during
the operation.
The examples herein-before referred to of the use of the muscle beater are
simply given as types of its applications, as it may be employed in a variety of
other cases with success not only for its agitating or exciting effect, but also as an
abductive, adduetive, reductive, or reproductive; for example, in cases of nervous
headache, the head itself is treated with gentle beating, while in a case of con-
gestive headache the extremities have to undergo the manipulation.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect,
I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, a muscle beater consisting of hollow elastic tubes or
fingers a, provided with internal springy stays b, and held or connected together
at c, the whole terminating in the handle d, substantially as and for the purpose
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my Speci-
fication set my hand and seal, the Nineteenth day of January, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.