IMPROVEMENTS IN ANTISEPTIC AND ABSORBENT PROAL
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Southall, and Alfred Southall, and Thomas
Barclay, all of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Pharmaceutical
Chemists, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ANTISEPTIC AND ABSORBENT
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Southall, Alfred
Southall, and Thomas Barclay at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 29th May 1880.
WILLIAM SOUTHALL, and ALFRED SOUTHALL, and THOMAS BARCLAY, all of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Pharmaceutical Chemists. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ANTISEPTIC AND ABSORBENT PADS FOR ABSORBING DISCHARGES IN
CHILDBED AND OTHER DISCHARGES."
Our Invention consists of the construction and arrangement herein after described
of the parts of antiseptic and absorbent pads to be used for absorbing discharges
in childbed as well as for absorbing the natural discharges of women, and for
absorbing discharges generally.
°
In constructing an antiseptic and absorbent pad according to our Invention we
form a pad, preferably of an oblong figure, of absorbent wool. This pad we enclose
in a casing of absorbent gauze. To tho back of the casing of the pad we attach a
light band, preferably of absorbent linen, the said band being so long that when
passed under the body of the wearer one end of the band will reach the waist in
front and the other end will reach the waist behind, the pad fixed to the middle of
the band being supported in the required position on the person. Each end of the
band is folded and sewn back so as to form a loop, through which loops a tape or
belt around the waist of the wearer passes, thereby supporting the band and pad.
Either the pad alone or the pad and its gauze case, with or without the band, is
impregnated with an antiseptic substance, such, for example, as carbolic acid, or
thymol, or salicylic acid, to which, when thought desirable, a perfume may be added
for the purpose of counteracting the odour of the antiseptic material employed.
The pad we have described is of the kind suitable for general use by women, but
in pads for absorbing the discharges of wounds and for special purposes we modify
the sizes and proportions of the parts to suit the particular purpose to which the
pads are to be applied.
Antiseptic and absorbent pads made according to our Invention are very
inexpensive. They may therefore be properly burned after use instead of being
washed for reuse.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Southall, Alfred Southall, and Thomas Barclay in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 22nd November 1880.
WILLIAM SOUTHALL, and ALFRED SOUTHALL, and THOMAS BARCLAY, all of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Pharmaceutical Chemists. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN ANTISEPTIC AND ABSORBENT PADS FOR ABSORBING DISCHARGES IN
CHILDBED AND OTHER DISCHARGES."
Our Invention consists of the construction and arrangement herein after described
of the parts of antiseptic and absorbent pads to be used for absorbing discharges
in childbed as well as for absorbing the natural discharges of women, and for
absorbing discharges generally.
In constructing an antiseptic and absorbent pad according to our Invention we
form a pad, preferably of an oblong figure, of absorbent wool. This pad we enclose
in a casing of absorbent gauze.
To the back of the casing of the pad we attach a light band, preferably of
absorbent linen, the said band being so long that when passed under the body of
the wearer one end of the band will reach the waist in front and the other end
will reach the waist behind, the pad fixed to the middle of the band being
supported in the required position on the person. Each end of the band is folded
and sewn back so as to form one or more loops, through which loops a tape or belt
around the waist of the wearer passes, thereby supporting the band and pad.
Either the pad alone or the pad and its gauze case, with or without the band,
is impregnated with an antiseptic substance, such, for example, as boracic acid,
carbolic acid, or thymol, or salicylic acid, to which, when thought desirable, a
perfume may be added for the purpose of counteracting the odour of the antiseptic
inaterial employed.
The pad we have described is of the kind suitable for general use by women,
but in pads for absorbing the discharges of wounds and for special purposes we
modify the sizes and proportions of the parts to suit the particular purpose to
which the pads are to be applied.
Antiseptic and absorbent pads made according to our Invention are very
inexpensive. They may therefore be properly burned after use instead of being
washed for reuse.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in front view, and Figure 2
in perspective an antiseptic and absorbent pad made according to our Invention.
The case or sheath of absorbent gauze is marked a, the middle part of the said
case or sheath in Figure 1 being removed for showing the absorbent and antiseptic
wool b contained in the said case or sheath; c, c, is the band of the pad, made
preferably of absorbent linen, sewn or otherwise fixed to the back of the pad. The
ends of the band c are folded and sewn back at d, d, so as to form one or more
loops by which the pad is supported as already described.
Instead of attaching the pad in a fixed position on the band c by sewing or
otherwise, the pad and band may be connected by means of one or more loops on
the back of the pad, through which loop or loops the band c is passed. By this
arrangement the pad a, b, can slide upon the band c and be brought to any
required position thereon.
We prefer to make the absorbent pad of two layers of absorbent material, the
front layer, or that which in use is presented to the person of the wearer, having a
greater absorbent power than the back layer. By this combination the absorbed
matter is made to spread laterally in the front or more absorbent part of the pad,
instead of running through the pad from front to back, as it has a tendency to do
when the whole pad is made of a very absorbent material.
Although for ordinary purposes we have found the arrangement last described to
answer well in practice, yet in special cases where still more efficient means of

page_text: promoting lateral absorption and preventing the discharge from passing out at the
back of the pad are required, we use in place of or at the back of the less absorbent
material a layer of flexible watertight material, such as oiled silk, thin sheet gutta
percha, waxed paper, or the like.
The absorbent wool we prefer to employ is cotton prepared in a particular way.
It is an article of commerce, and we therefore do not think it necessary to describe
its method of manufacture.
We apply the antiseptic liquid by means of the instrument well known and
called a spray producer. A number of pads, either with or without their bands,
are arranged close together on a table or level surface, their inner or more absorbent
sides being uppermost, and by means of the spray producer we sprinkle the pads
with the antiseptic liquid. As the said liquid consists, as herein after described, of
the antiseptic material dissolved in spirit of wine, the latter rapidly evaporates,
leaving the pads dry and impregnated with the antiseptic material. The antiseptics
we employ are chiefly boracic acid, carbolic acid, oil of tar, thymol, and salicylic
acid, but other antiseptics may be employed. We prefer however boracic acid.
We dissolve the boracic acid in spirit of wine or methylated spirit, two ounces of
boracic acid being dissolved in one gallon of spirit. Like proportions of the other
antiseptic and spirit may be employed, but the proportions are of little consequence
as the spirit rapidly and wholly evaporates, and any desired quantity of the
antiseptic may be introduced into the pad by adding & greater or less quantity of
the spirituous solution according as the said solution is weaker or stronger. Where
the antiseptic employed has an odour it may be disguised by some fragrant
material, as oil of lavender.
Although we prefer to use the wool known in commerce as absorbent wool, yet
we do not limit ourselves thereto, as a loosely woven or other textile fabric made
from absorbent cotton, wool, or other like vegetable fibres may be employed. In
this case the sheath of absorbent gauze may be dispensed with.
In the accompanying Drawing we have represented a pad and band of the form
and size which we find to be suitable for absorbing discharges in childbed as well
as the natural discharges of women, but we do not limit ourselves either to the
form or size of the pad and its band, as these may be varied, whether the pad is
to be used for absorbing natural or other discharges.
Having now described the nature of our Invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we claim as our
Invention, the improvements in antiseptic and absorbent pads for absorbing
discharges in childbed and other discharges, herein before described and illustrated
in the accompanying Drawing, that is to say, making the said pads of absorbent
wool or the other absorbent materials herein described, the said wool or materials
being generally enclosed in an absorbent gauze case or sheath, and combined with
& supporting band and impregnated with an antiseptic material, substantially as
described aud illustrated.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Southall, and Alfred Southall, and
Thomas Barclay, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Nineteenth
day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
WILLIAM SOUTHALL. (L.S.)
ALFRED SOUTHALL.
(L.S.)
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
37, Temple Street,
THOMAS BARCLAY.
(L.S.)
Birmingham.