CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS! ON TRUSSES. OR INSTRUMENTS FOR THE CURE. OF. HERNIA OR RUPTURE
Year: 1835

page_text: TO ALL. TO. WHOM. THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
GILLESPIE, of Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the
Fourth, by His Letters Patent. under the Great Seal of Great Britain,.
bearing date at Westminster, the Third day of April, in the fifth year
of His reign, did, for Himself, "His heirs and successors, give and.grant
unto me, the said Robert Gillespie, His especial licence, full. power, sole*
privilege and authority, that I, the said. Robert Gillespie, my exors, adñors,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert. Gillespie, my exors, admors,.
or assigns; should at any time agree with; and no others; from. time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use; exercise, and. vend, within England, Wales; and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, the Invention of. "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS!
ON TRUSSES. OR INSTRUMENTS FOR THE CURE. OF. HERNIA OR RUPTURE;" communi-
cated to me by a certain Foreigner residing: abroad, in which said Letters'
Patent is contained a proviso, that I,. the said Robert. Gillespie, shall cause
a particular description of the nature of the said: Invention, and in. what.
manner the same is to be performed,, to be inrolled in His said Majesty's.
High Court of Chancery within six calendar. months next and immediately.
after the date of the said. in. part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Robert Gillespie, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and

page_text: the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon (that is to say):-
The improved instrument consists of a strong curved and elastic spring a
terminating at one end in a neck 6 deviating slightly from the general course
of the spring, which neck terminates in a broad expansion, having holes
through it. Rising from the outer surface of this expansion is a hook or button
c; from the extremity of the spring, terminating in a neck to its opposite
extremity, the spring lessens slightly in width; this spring has a covering of
strong thin leather, and is lined and padded on its concave surface to prevent
abrasion of the skin. To the end of this covering there is attached a strong
leather strap d, having holes near one of its extremities. Accompanying the
above described instrument is a strap of leather, called the thigh strap. On the
expanded neck of the spring there is attached by screws to its plane surface
a block of wood, preferring the wood of the poplar, having one plane surface
of a triangular shape, and tapering to an obtuse irregular cone, having in some
instances a groove in one side for the reception of the spermatic cord; this
block or rupture head is polished smooth. The parts and effects of this instru-
ment claimed to be new is, the wooden pad block or rupture head differing
from all others heretofore in use, in its shape, economy, and firmness by which
we are enabled to concentrate the force of the spring on a small compass.
The instrument may be varied in size, so as to suit every subject; and the
blocks or rupture heads may be rendered more or less obtuse according to the
age and constitution of the subject, and the shape and size of the rupture.
The spring should be weaker or stronger as the system of the subject is the
more excitable, or the reverse; but it is intended that the spring should be
sufficiently strong to produce inflamation, which is reversing the object of
former trusses. In applying this instrument the rupture head is placed its
point immediately in the opening through which the abdominal contents
have protruded, and the point looking backwards and slightly upwards,
avoiding pressure on the pubic bone (which is the more easy from the peculiar
shape of the rupture head), and freeing the spermatic cord from pressure by
receiving it into the groove formed on the edge of the rupture head. The
body of the spring, passing round and closely embracing two thirds of the
pelvis, is held firmly on by the leather strap attached to the end of the covering
which invests the spring, this completes the circle round the pelvis and
attaches to the button or hook in front. The strip of leather or thigh strap is
confined around the spring and its covering near the anterior superior

page_text: spinous process of the ilium, and, passing on the back of the thigh, returns in
front and attaches near the same place; thus holds the instrument down and
prevents a displacement upwards. When the parts about the abdominal
rings have become sore from the pressure of the instrument, it sometimes
becomes necessary to interpose a piece of soft linen between the rupture
and the skin; and in case the skin becomes irritated by the pressure of the
rupture head, the irritated part should be bathed with cold water or a cold
and slightly astringent solution of alum.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Gillespie, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-five.
ROBERT (L.s.) GILLESPIE.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Third day of April, in the
year of our Lord 1885, the aforesaid Robert Gillespie came before our said
Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Second day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-five.