IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING SURGICAL OPERATIONS AND TEACHING ANATOMY
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Scott, of Argyle Square, Edinburgh, M.D.,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING
SURGICAL OPERATIONS AND TEACHING ANATOMY."
Sealed the 2nd February 1855, and dated the 23rd October 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Scott at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd October 1854.
I, JAMES SCOTT, of Argyle Square, Edinburgh, M.D., do hereby declare the
nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING
SURGICAL OPERATIONS AND TEACHING ANATOMY " to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of the following arrangement and combination of
apparatus: A strong table of oak, mahogany, or any other proper material
is made; the legs screw in their places, or are made otherwise moveable,
for the convenience of being packed in a small compass; the table itself
to consist of a firm board or boards of a convenient length and breadth,
with a brass, iron, or hard wood plate screwed upon each border of its upper
surface, and rising a little above the plane of the table, so as to diminish the
friction. Upon this board another board is to be placed, of equal or nearly
equal length, but narrower, and divided across into three parts at a proper
distance from the ends of the table, but joined by hinges, so that any one of its

page_text: portions may be raised to any necessary angle, by means of a screw directed
upwards through the lower board of the table, and the joints so constructed as
to admit of two of the divisions of the upper board being raised together from
the lower board, which is necessary in certain operations where the nates of a
patient should be elevated, and the head and lower extremities depressed.
The lower board is to have a broad channel cut completely through nearly its
whole length and thickness. The middle portion of the divided slab or board
is to be pierced by a strong metallic bolt, with a square or diamond-shaped
head, countersunk into the wood, so as to admit of its being easily forced up,
but to prevent it from turning; and the bolt is to pass freely through the
channel of the lower board, so that, by means of a thumb-screw applied at its
lower extremity, the two boards may be at pleasure made moveable or fixed
together. This bolt is to be perforated transversely by a long metallic screw
proceeding horizontally-through-a groove from the upper end of the lower
slab to the above-mentioned channel, through which the bolt descends per-
pendicularly, so that by slackening the perpendicular bolt, and turning the
horizontal screw by a winch handle or by other means, the upper board
may be moved along the lower slab, either towards. or from the head of
the table.
The lower board is to be grooved througli its whole thickness on each
side, for the reception of a right and left hand pillar of metal or wood, and the
said pillars are to rise to a convenient height above the plane of the table, their
lower ends passing through the lower slab only, and secured by "washers" and
thumb-screws in the usual manner, so as to admit of their being placed either
directly opposite each other or obliquely. These pillars are to be connected
above their capitals by means of a metallic or wooden cross beam, secured to
the tops of the pillars by screws, which can be easily turned by the hand, so
that the connecting beam can be easily removed from its place. This cross
beam is to be perforated perpendicularly at its centre, and through the
perforation a long screw is to pass downward, carrying on its top a stage, on
which a mirror or mirrors may be placed, capable of a variety of movements.
Other perforations may be made through the beam for other mirrors, and when
the beam is removed, on any occasion, one or more of the mirrors may be
applied to the top of each of the pillars. Through the lateral grooves in the
lower portion of the upper slab, a sort of stirrup may be applied for the patient's
foot, and capable of being raised or lowered, to suit the length of the leg. At
the lower end of the screw which pierces the beam a swivel is attached, for the
purpose of making extension upwards,, in certain cases of dislocation; and
underneath the lower slab may be nests of drawers or boxes, for the reception

page_text: of surgical instruments, books, bandages, plasters, lint, sponge, and wine, or
other cordials and medicines.
And for the reduction of dislocations and fractures, or even for the extraction
of teeth, it is only necessary to secure the patient firmly in the upper slabs; to
have proper counter-extension, non-elastic straps applied to a post or posts
in convenient places of the lower or fixed slab; and then it is evident, that
by turning the long horizontal screw, a power may be deliberately applied.
Concave mirrors as well as plain may be used, and in that case spectators will
have a view of the objects magnified to any necessary degree, a thing of much
importance in teaching the anatomy of the brain, the eye, the testicle, or other
minute and complicated organs, and in demonstrating the course and ramifi-
cations of blood vessels, nerves, &c. Also, as by this means a person looking
on at surgical operations will easily perceive and trace the various parts that
are divided by the operator, which they cannot easily or perfectly see under the
present mode of operating. Lanterns or lamps, enclosed in proper cases for
security, may be attached to the mirror or mirrors in such a way that their
light may be reflected upon the part subjected to operation, which it is believed
will be of incalculable value in the cock-pit of a ship of war.
According to my plan no pulleys are required, and are indeed superseded;
and it is well known that by pulleys a steady uniform extending power cannot
be applied, because persons employed in drawing the cords do not and cannot
pull equably.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Scott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd April 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
SCOTT, of Argyle Square, Edinburgh, M.D., send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Scott, Her special licence that I, the said James
Scott, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Scott, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times

page_text: thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING SURGICAL OPERATIONS AND TEACH-
ING ANATOMY," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Scott, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Scott, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say) :-
:-
This Invention consists of the following arrangement and combination of
apparatus: A strong table a, of oak, mahogany, or any other proper material
is made; the legs b, b, b, b, screw in their places, or are made otherwise
moveable, for the convenience of being packed in a small compass. The
table a itself consists of a firm board or boards of a convenient length and
breadth, with a brass, iron, or hard wood plate c, c, screwed upon each border
of its upper surface, and rising a little above the plane of the table, so as to
diminish the friction. Upon this board another board d is to be placed, of equal
or nearly equal length, but narrower, and divided across into three parts at a
proper distance from the ends of the table, but joined by hinges d', d', 'so that
any one of its portions may be raised to any necessary angle by means of a
screw, directed upwards through the lower board of the table; or wedges may
be used in lieu thereof, and the joints so constructed as to admit of two of the
divisions of the upper board being raised together from the lower board, which
is necessary in certain operations where the nates of a patient should be elevated,
and the head and lower extremities depressed.
The lower board is to have a broad channel e cut completely through nearly
its whole length and thickness. The middle portion of the divided slab or
board is to be pierced by a strong metallic bolt f, with a square or diamond-
shaped head, countersunk into the aperture d* of table d, so as to admit of its
being easily forced up, and yet prevent it from turning; and the bolt is to pass
freely through the channel e of the lower board, so that, by means of a thumb-
screw and washer applied at its lower extremity, the two boards may be at
pleasure made moveable or fixed together. This bolt is to be perforated
transversely by a long metallic screw 9, proceeding horizontally beneath the

page_text: table a, to which its bearings h, h, are attached. The bolt f descends per-
pendicularly, so that by slackening the perpendicular bolt. f, and turning the
horizontal screw g by a winch handle i, or by other means, the upper board d
may be moved along the lower slab a, either "towards" or from the head
of the table.
These pillars j, j, are
The lower board is to be grooved through its whole thickness on each side,
for the reception of a right and left hand pillar j, j, of metal or wood, and the
said pillars are to rise to a convenient height above the plane of the table, their
lower ends passing through the lower slab a only, and secured by "washers"
and thumb-screws k, in the usual manner, so as to admit of their being
placed either directly opposite each other, or obliquely.
to be connected above their capitals by means of, a metallic or wooden cross
beam l, secured to the tops of the pillars by screws, which can be easily turned
by the hand, so that the cross beam can be easily removed from its place.
This cross beam is to be perforated perpendicularly at its centre, and through
the perforation a long screw m is to pass downward, carrying on its top a
stage n', on which a mirror or mirrors o may be placed, capable of a variety of
movements. Other perforations may be made through the beam 1 for other
mirrors, and when the beam 7 is removed on any occasion, one or more of the
mirrors may be applied to the top of each of the pillars j, j. A sort of shoe
stirrup p may be applied for the patient's foot, at s, and capable of being raised
or lowered to suit the length of the leg, by means of a strap r, attached at its
one end to the standard s, and at its other to the stirrup p, as shewn. At the
lower end of the screw m, which pierces the beam 1, a swivel t is attached,
for the purpose of making extension upwards in certain cases of dislocation,
and underneath the lower slab may be nests of drawers or boxes 1, 2, 3, 4, for
the reception of surgical instruments, books, bandages, plasters, lint, sponge,
and wine, or other cordials and medicines.
And for the reduction of dislocations and fractures, or even for the extraction
of teeth, it is only necessary to secure the patient firmly on the upper slabs d;
to have proper counter-extension, non-elastic straps applied to a post or posts
u, u, in convenient places of the lower or fixed slab a; and then it is evident
that by turning the long horizontal screw g, a power may be deliberately
applied. Concave mirrors as well as plain may be used; and in that case
spectators will have a view of the objects magnified to any necessary degree, a
thing of much importance in teaching the anatomy of the brain, the eye, the
testicle, or other minute and complicated organs, and in demonstrating the
course and ramifications of blood vessels, nerves, &c.; also, as by this means
observers will easily perceive and trace the various parts that are divided by

page_text: the operator, which they cannot easily nor perfectly see under the present
mode of operating. Lanterns or lamps, enclosed in proper cases for security,
may be attached to the mirror or mirrors in such a way that their light may
be reflected upon the part subjected to operation, which I believe will be of
incalculable value in the cock-pit of a ship of war.
According to my plan no pullies are required, and are indeed superseded;
and it is well known that by pullies a steady uniform extending power cannot
be applied, because persons employed in drawing the cord do not and cannot
pull equably.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Scott, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-third day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-fivé.
Witness,
FRED HARRIS.
JAMES SCOTT. (L.S.)