Device for Preventing Diaphragm Auscultation Instruments from. Transmitting Sounds other than those Proceeding from the Interior of the Body.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Dec., 1896-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Device for Preventing Diaphragm Auscultation Instruments from.
Transmitting Sounds other than those Proceeding from the
Interior of the Body.
I, AUGUST EVENS of 13, Maulbeerplantage, Cassel, in the Empire of Germany,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
Auscultation instruments, are used to convey to the ear sounds produced inside
the human body, and which cause a vibration of the membrane, or diaphragm,
forming part of the instrument. It follows therefore that if an apparatus of this
kind is placed in contact with the body and held thereon with the hand, vibrations
will be produced in the membrane by friction with the surface of the body. Such
friction is due to the continual movements of the hand which holds the apparatus,
seeing that it is impossible to obtain absolute immobility of the hand. The
vibrations, so occasioned, produce perceptible sounds and may even be so great as
to entirely prevent the doctor from catching the very slight sounds coming from
the organs within the body, the lungs, for example. But it is just these sounds
which are necessary to be heard and which are the object of the auscultation.
I have therefore invented a device preventing vibration of the membrane by
friction against the body and hence no secondary sounds will be communicated
to the ear, interrupting the primary sounds which the instrument is intended to
convey.
The invention consists substantially in the fact that the diaphragm instrument
is not applied or held by the hand but by elastic ribbons or bands, tubes or the like,
preventing all direct contact between the instrument and the band. In the
accompanying drawing, a device of this nature is represented.
To the rods E of the diaphragm auscultation instrument C two india-rubber
tubes B, of the finest quality, are attached.
The diaphragm auscultation instrument C is laid on that part of the body A,.
which the doctor wishes to sound, and it is pressed more or less firmly against the
body, according to the position of the organs to be examined by auscultation, the
pressure being effected by the drawing, or tension of the indía-rubber tubes B,
while the sound-conducting tubes D continue in touch with the doctor's cars. The
elastic india-rubber tubes B-owing to their elasticity-counteract and nullify the
movement of the hands and therefore no perceptible vibration is transmitted thereby
to the diaphragm of the instrument.
It follows, from the above explanation, that no secondary sounds interfere with
the medical auscultation of the organs. Instead of attaching the india-rubber
tubes B to the rods E, they may be arranged in various other ways with the same
effect, and it is evident that other substances or elastic tissues may be used instead
of the india-rubber tube.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The arrangement, in any suitable manner, of elastic holders for diaphragm
auscultation instruments, for the purpose above specified.
Dated this 3rd day of December 1896.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Associate Agent.