Improvements in Surgical Trusses.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROTIONAL DITUIFICATION.
Improvements in Surgical Trusses.
I, JAMES DUNNE DAY, of 30,- Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin, Ireland, Major Royal
Army Medical Corps, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements for the purpose of perfecting
and rendering more useful certain Letters Patent granted to me under date the
20th day of March 1897, Numbered 7,287 and entitled an improved truss for
rupture."
The invention described in said recited Letters Patent consists of a sheet of
elastic material either solid or fenestrated cut to the shape, approximately of an
elongated heart and containing a vertical slit from its upper indentation, com-
municating with a circular aperture, the slit being closed by a suitable lace
when the truss is in position. Suitable straps or bands are attached to the top
extensions which pass round the waist, and the base or lower end is continued
as a strap or band which passes between the legs.
The truss thus constructed is applied as follows:-
The slit being loosened, the penis and scrotum are passed through the circular
aperture, whereupon the slit is laced up.
The top straps or bands are then brought over the hips, round the waist and
buckled at the back, and the lower strap is brought between the legs and secured
to a specially fixed buckle carried on the ordinary braces.
The pressure of the truss may be readily adjusted by tightening or loosening
the respective straps or bands.
The improvements involved in the present application are as follows:-
Firstly, In the Letters-Patent above recited I confined my claim to the use of
"elastic
as the fabric wherewith to construct the improved truss.
I now desire to claim the use of elastic or other suitable material which may
be found convenient for the purpose.
Secondly, I propose to bind the edge of the circular aperture with some soft
material such as elastic, or soft silk through which I introduce a running string,
whereby the size of the aperture may be constructed, and thus the tension or
pressure round the base of the scrotum adjusted according to the particular case
under treatment.
Thirdly, I introduce between the top extensions a horizontal elastic band which
helps materially to retain the truss in proper position.
Fourthly, I suggest that a soft pad may be used in combination with the truss
if desirable, especially in cases of considerable enlargement of the rupture, but
it is not necessary in ordinary treatment.
Dated this 13th day of May 1899.
J. K. FAHIE & SON,
Agents for Applicant, 9, Westland Row, Dublin.

page_text: improvements in Surgical Trusses.
I, JAMES DUNNE DAY, late of 30, Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin, Ireland, but
now of Junior Army and Navy Club, St. James Street, London, Major Royal
Army Medical Corps, 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 invention has reference to improvements for the purpose of perfecting
and rendering more useful a certain invention for which British Letters Patent
were granted to me under date the 20th day of March 1897, numbered 7,287
and entitled an improved truss for rupture."
The invention described in the Specification of the said part recited Letters
Patent consists of a sheet of elastic material, either solid or fenestrated, cut to
the shape approximately, of an elongated heart, and containing a vertical slit
from its upper indentation, communicating with a circular aperture, the slit
being closed by a suitable lace when the truss is in position.
Suitable straps or bands are attached to the top extensions which pass round
the waist, and the base or lower end is continued as a strap or band which passes
between the legs.
The truss thus constructed is applied as follows:--
The slit being loosened, the penis and scrotum are passed through the circular
aperture, whereupon the slit is laced up.
The top straps or bands are then brought over the hips, round the waist and
buckled at the back, and the lower strap is brought between the legs and secured
to a specially fixed buckle carried on the ordinary braces.
The pressure of the truss may be readily adjusted by tightening or loosening
the respective straps or bands.
According to the present invention I form the somewhat triangular body of
the truss of elastic or other suitable material or fabric and frequently of material
which is not of an elastic nature; in some cases I bind the edge of the circular
aperture with some soft material and I introduce a running string whereby the
size of the aperture may be regulated. Between the top extensions I introduce
a horizontal elastic or other band or bands to aid in maintaining the truss in
proper position, and in combination I sometimes extend the lacing or other
fastening to the lower portion of the triangular piece, the latter being then con-
stituted of two equal portions.
A soft pad may be employed in combination with the truss if desirable,
especially in cases of considerable enlargement of the rupture, although this may
not be necessary in ordinary cases, and the upper or top portion of the triangular
part may be further supported by buttons or straps, fastened to the ordinary
braces or to special braces provided for the purpose.
In order that my invention may be readily understood I will now describe same
with reference to the accompanying drawings whereon at Fig. 1 is shewn my
improved truss and at Fig. 2 a similar truss is shewn drawn to a smaller scale,
than the previous figure, and illustrating a variation in the lacing, the addition
of top straps and the application of a pad. Fig. 3 being a horizontal section to
shew a pad hereafter referred to.
Referring to Fig. 1, A is the triangular shaped body of the truss which may be

page_text: composed of solid or fenestrated elastic or of other suitable material or fabric
or of material which is not of an elastic nature, or a combination of elastic and
non-elastic material. B is the central aperture therein from which the material
is divided at C in an upward direction, the two adjacent edges of the division
being united by laces or other fastening means, such as buckles and straps,
and in some cases, as at Fig. 2, this division may also extend downwards as at U²,
and be also provided with means such as laces C3 by which the edges may be
connected together; by such lacing the triangular body A is capable of adjust-
ment.
13¹ is the soft material such as india rubber, chamois leather, soft silk, or the
like, with which the edge of the central aperture is bound, and as shewn at
Fig. 1, 1 is the running string I introduce into such edge binding B', whereby
the size of the aperture B may be contracted and thus the tension or pressure
around the base of the scrotum adjusted according to the particular case under
treatment.
The upper divided parts of the triangular body A Figs. 1 and 2, are connected
by the elastic or other band or bands, such as the band E, and such may obvi-
ously be adjustable in length by means of a buckle E or equivalent device, and
such band aids materially in retaining the truss in proper position.
FF, Figs. 1 and 2, are the straps from which a connecting band extends
around the back of the wearer above or over the hips, and G G are other straps
which may similarly be connected, and these straps F and G maintain the posi-
tion of the truss laterally, while I may employ other straps H attached to the
top parts of the body A, which straps H may extend and be fixed to the braces
which support the trousers or to other special braces, and in some cases addi-
tional straps may be employed between the straps F and G. J is a connection
conveniently composed of or covered by india rubber tubing which is connected
to the lower part of the body A and passes between the legs of the wearer the
end being secured onto one of the back bands or onto the ordinary or other
braces.
Where required I employ a soft pad or pads K secured on the interior of the
body A, and shewn by the horizontal section Fig. 3, such pad or pads are
especially applicable in cases of considerable enlargement of the rupture but
are not necessary in ordinary treatment. In some cases a spring may be used
to augment the pressure of the pad K.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In surgical trusses, the triangular shaped body formed of solid or fenestrated
clastic or non-elastic material or fabric, in combination with the straps by
which same is maintained in proper position, and with an
silk or other suitable material around the central aperture, and means such as
edging of elastic, soft
a running string in such edging whereby the aperture may be contracted as
required substantially as described.
2. In surgical trusses composed of a triangular-shaped body formed of solid
or fenestrated elastic or non-elastic material or fabric, a central aperture therein,
a division extending upwards from the said aperture, or a division extending both
upwards and downwards from such aperture, and means such as laces to connect
such divided parts, the combination therewith of a strap or band E or straps
or bands extending across the upper division and adapted to aid in retaining the
truss in proper position substantially as described.
3. In a surgical truss as claimed by Claims 1 and 2, the combination therewith
of pads arranged on the interior of the triangular body of same, the same being
applicable in cases of considerable enlargement of the rupture, as set forth.

page_text: 4. The general construction and arrangement of surgical trusses substantially
as and for the purposes described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 15th day of June 1899. ··
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.