An Improved Tongue Depressing Insufflator.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1889-Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Tongue Depressing Insufflator.
1, JOSEPH DAVIS OSBORNE, of No. 1034 Broad Street, Newark, county of Essex,
and state of New Jersey, United States of America, Doctor of Medicine, 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:
The object of this invention is primarily to facilitate the depression of the tongue
in applying remedies in the form of powder, spray or liquid, by an insufflator, to the
cavity of the throat, and the invention consists in the combination, with the nozzle
of an insufflator, of a polished metal tongue depressor of particular form, to reflect
light into the cavity of the throat, and in a particular construction for the insufflator
tube. The insufflator tube may, for the purposes of my invention, be made of metal,
hard rubber, celluloid, or other suitable substance, and the tongue depressor may be
made of the same material or, if required for use as a reflector, would be made of
metal highly polished upon its convex side, and attached to the tube in any convenient
manner. The tongue depressor may perform its function of holding the tongue down
in applying the medicine, irrespective of its function as a reflector, but when made
of convex form as shown in the drawing, upon its upper side, and formed of polished
metal, it obviously acts as a pharyngeal mirror.
The construction will be understood by reference to the annexed drawing, in which
Fig. 1 is a plan of the instrument, Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, Fig. 3 an end
view of the same showing the aperture of the nozzle, and Fig. 4 a longitudinal
section of the. instrument on line a, a, in Fig. 1, with the tongue, palate and throat
cavity.
a is the tube of the insufflator, attached tangentially to the outer end of the tongue
depressor and reflector b.
The body of the insufflator is shown as a round tube, but its nozzle n is formed by
flattening the tube, where connected with the reflector b, and indenting the middle
of the nozzle as at c in Fig. 3, so as to form an aperture with a contracted outlet at
the middle, and freer outlet channels d at the opposite sides. By thus indenting the
middle of the nozzle, the medicine discharged from the same is diverted laterally
in large degree, and is thus applied to the tonsils as effectively as to the rear of the
throat.
The instrument is shown in Fig. 4 applied to the tongue, with the reflector b
pressed upon the same to force the tongue t downward to expose the pharynx e
behind the soft palate f. One of the tonsils g is shown adjacent to the soft palate.
The tongue depressor may also be used to draw the tongue forward, without
depressing the tongue, which is sometimes the preferable method of using the
instrument to expose the pharynx. It is obvious that the curved surface of the
tongue depressor operates very powerfully to illumine the interior of the throat,
and to guide the operator in using the insufflator.
The attachment of the reflector directly to the insufflator enables the operator
either to depress the tongue or to draw it forward in the most satisfactory manner
while using the insufflator, the tangential arrangement of the insufflator upon the
base of the reflector also serving to direct and scatter the medicine that may be
projected from the nozzle n.
The medicine to be administered would be blown through the tube a, and would,
owing to the peculiar conformation of the nozzle n, be directed against the tonsils
as well as against the rear of the throat. The instrument may be used for the
administration of powder by blowing the same through the tube, or for applying a
wash or douche by inserting the nozzle of a syringe within the tube. The open end

page_text: of the insufflator would preferably be made of a size to receive the nozzle of an
ordinary syringe, or it may be inserted in the end of the rubber tube of the same,
when it is desired to use the tube in connection with a syringe.
The tongue depressor is shown of oval or spoon shape in outline, as such shape is
best adapted for introduction to and removal from the mouth.
It will be seen from the above description that the tongue depressor exercises
when shaped and polished as described, the triple function of depressing the tongue,
drawing it forward, and of illuminating the throat.
I am aware that a pharyngeal mirror is not new, or a tubular insufflator; but I am
not aware that an insufflator has ever been provided with a tongue depressor similar
to mine attached tangentially to its nozzle, or formed with a flattened nozzle having
a central depression for the purposes herein.
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:
1st. The combination, with an insufflator, of a spoon shaped tongue depressor
curved downwardly at its outer end, and attached tangentially to the nozzle of the
insufflator.
2nd. The combination, with the tongue depressor b, of the insufflator tube having
a flattened nozzle with the central depression e forming the outlet channels d, d, and
attached tangentially to the convex side of the tongue depressor.
3rd. The combination, with the curved tongue depressor having a polished
surface to operate as a reflector, of the insufflator tube, having a flattened nozzle
provided with the central depression e forming the outlet channels d, d, and attached
fangentially to the convex side of the tongue depressor.
Dated this 8th day of October 1889.
HERBERT J. ALLISON,
Agent for the Applicant.