A Case for use in connection with Clinical Thermometers.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 24th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Case for use in connection with Clinical Thermometers.
I, ALBERT FRANCIS BLAGDON-RICHARDS, Physician, of 5, Cleveland Terrace,
Walter Road, Swansea, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
It relates to a case designed to afford a ready means for disinfecting a clinical
thermometer after it has been used in taking the temperature of contagious or
infectious patients and especially after it has been used for such a purpose in the
mouths of such patients. The case used primarily for enclosing and protecting
the thermometer is made of a shape and size suitable for that purpose. It con-
sists of two different layers; an outer made of metal, vulcanite, wood or any other
suitable non porous material sufficiently hard and unyielding to afford protection
for the fragile instrument enclosed within; and an inner layer composed of any
suitable absorbent material such as wool, felt, textile fabrics of various kinds or
any other material sufficiently coherent, and capable of absorbing moisture, or
being impregnated with any of the various antiseptics in use.
The two layers may be so made as to be adherent to each other, the outer to
the inner, and thus they would be non detachable. Or, they may be made
distinct from each other the inner layer being then made to fit inside the outer
layer and to slip inside it. If it were made so, there would in a manner be a
double case, an outer protective case and an inner absorbent case, the inner
case being made sufficiently stiff and rigid to retain its shape.
The two layers may, if necessary, be made of the same material provided that
the outer layer be so treated as to render it quite rigid and protective, non porous
and non absorbent; and that the inner layer be porous and absorbent.
When the two layers are made separate and detachable, the inner layer, being
of such a nature as to be more perishable than the outer layer, can be made and
supplied separately for the purpose of renewal.
The inner layers of absorbent material, impregnated, or to be impregnated with
antiseptics, can also be made and supplied separately so that they can be slipped
inside and used with the cases at present in use.
When in use, the inner layer if impregnated, at the time of making, with an
antiseptic or antiseptics, such for instance as boracic acid, salicylic acid per-
chloride of mercury or any of the other numerous substances used for this
purpose, will simply require moistening with water or any other fluid in which
such antiseptic is soluble. The thermometer then on being slipped into the
case becomes disinfected. The moistening of the inner layer is not absolutely
essential for disinfection.
If however the inner layer when made simply consist of absorbent material it
may when required for use be rendered strongly antiseptic by freely moistening
it with any antiseptic solution of suitable strength such as carbolic acid solution,
perchloride of mercury solution or any of the other antiseptic solutions in use.
It could ve moistened thus as often as deemed necessary. The essential feature

page_text: of the invention consists in the inner layer or case of absorbent porous material
which may be moistened and rendered strongly antiseptic thus ensuring the disin-
fection of the thermometer when it is put back in it after use.
Dated this Twenty-ninth day of June 1898.
I, ALBERT FRANCIS BLAGDON-RICILARDS, 5, Cleveland Terrace, Walter Road,
Swansea, Physician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This case is designed to afford a ready means for disinfecting a thermometer
after it has been used in taking the temperature of contagious or infectious
patients and especially after it has been used for such purpose in the mouths of
such patients.
The case, used primarily for enclosing and protecting the thermometer, is
made of a shape and size suitable for this purpose. It consists of two different
layers, the outer made of metal, vulcanite, wood or any other suitable non-porous
material sufficiently hard and unyielding to afford protection for the fragile
instrument enclosed within; and an inner layer composed of any suitable
absorbent material such as wool, spongie piline, felt, textile fabrics of all kinds,
or any other material sufficiently coherent and capable of absorbing moisture or
being impregnated with any of the antiseptics is use.
The two layers may be so made, as to be adherent to each other, the outer to
the inner, and thus they would be non-detachable. Or, they may be made
distinct from each other, the inner layer being then made to fit inside the outer
layer and to slip inside it. If it were made so, there would be in a manner a
double case, an outer protection case and an inner absorbent case, the inner
case being made sufficiently stiff and rigid to retain its shape.
The two layers may if necessary be made of the same material provided that
the outer layer be so treated as to render it quite rigid and protective, non-porous,
and non-absorbent; and that the inner layer be porous and absorbent
When the two layers are made separate and detachable, the inner layer, being
of such a nature as to be more perishable than the outer layer can be made and
supplied separately for the purposes of renewal.
The inner layers of absorbent material impregnated or to be impregnated with
antiseptics can also be made and supplied separately so that they can be slipped
inside and used with the cases at present in use.
When in use the inner layer, if impregnated at the time of making, with an
antiseptic or antiseptic, such for instance as horacic acid, salicylic acid, per-
chloride of mercury or any other of the numerous substances used for this
purpose, will simply require moistening with water or any other fluid in which
such antiseptic is soluble. The thermometer then, on being slipped into the
case, becomes disinfected. The moistening of the inner layer is not absolutely
essential for disinfection. If, however, the inner layer when made, simply con-
sists of absorbent material it may, when required for use be rendered strongly
antiseptic by freely moistening it with any antiseptic solution of suitable strength
such as carbolic acid solution, perchloride of mercury solution, or any of the
other antiseptic solutions in use. It could be moistened thus as often as deemed
necessary.

page_text: The essential feature of the invention consists in the inner layer or case of
absorbent porous material which may be moistened and rendered strongly anu-
septic, thus ensuring the uisiniection of the thermometer when it is put back
in it after use.
For purposes of illustration I will now refer to the annexed drawings, in which,
Figure 1, is a longitudinal section shewing my invention. The outer casing a
may be made of any suitable material such as metal or the like
b 18 an
inner cabing which may be formed in one or more layers of any suitable
material for the purpose of carrying an antiseptic. I find it convenient in
carrying out my invention to employ say for instance a plug of felt which is
bored so as to receive the thermometer c. This inner casing ar lining may be
impregnated with any required antiseptic, so that when the thermometer is passed
into the inner casing any contagious matter lying upon it, will be rendered
innoxious by coming into contact with the antiseptic or disinfecting substance
carried in the inner casing.
Although for purposes of illustration I have shewn one inner casing or lining
it will be readily seen that there may be two or more so arranged, that the surface
engaging or coming into contact with the thermometer may be renewed by with-
drawing the casing or lining which is in contact with the thermometer and so pre-
sent a fresh surface for antiseptic purposes. Any convenient form of antiseptic may
be employed either in a dry or moist torm. The cup or cover d is provided with a
plug or lining of material carrying the required antiseptic, which may be also
arranged so as to be renewed when required or present a fresh surface for contact
with the thermometer.
By this arrangement it will be seen that the thermometer is what may be called
disinfected, and at the same time is protected from injury.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is―
1. The case for holding & disinfecting thermometers substantially as described
and illustrated herein and for the purpose set forth.
2. In cases of the class herein described an outer casing of suitable material
which contains an inner lining or casing of absorbent material for the purpose
of carrying an antiseptic or disinfectant, said casing or lining being formed in
one or more sections or parts, the cover or lid for closing said casing having an
inner lining or casing of absorbent material for carrying the required antiseptic
or disinfectant, formed in one or more sections or parts, sub-tantially as described
and illustrated herein and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 24th day of January 1899.