Improvements in Instruments for Introducing Gauze or other like Material into Cavities or Orifices of the Human Body.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 31st July, 1900-Accepted, 22nd Sept., 1900
2
Improvements in Instruments for Introducing Gauze or other like
Material into Cavities or Orifices of the Human Body.
We, CLINTON TYNG COOKE, Physician, CARLOS AVERY, Publisher, and MERTON
STEARNS GOODNOW, Dentist, all of Hutchinson, in the County of McLeod and
State of Minnesota, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an instrument especially designed for introducing
gauze or other suitable material into cavities or orifices of the human body, for
the purpose of drawing away fluids contained therein by means of capillary
action, or for arresting hemorrhages and for rapidly, firmly and in many cases
painlessly packing gauze into cavities, wounds, fistulas, or other orifices in such
manner that the gauze will not come in contact with the superficial portions or
walls of the cavity until it reaches the desired point so that the gauze is intro-
duced aseptically.
The instrument consists essentially of a tubular body portion containing a
retarding tube and a plunger or packer constructed as hereafter described. The
tube is of any desired length and diameter, and has at its upper portion a sleeve
which is securely fastened to the tube and provided with handles, the upper
portion of the sleeve being exteriorly threaded to receive the interiorly threaded
portion of a cap. This cap has a central opening through which gauze is intro-
duced into the body portion or tube. The retarding tube is loosely placed within
the body tube and is adapted to prevent the gauze from working out at the cap
end of the instrument. The retarding tube is provided with a flange at its upper
end, which rests upon the upper end of said body tube and its sleeve, the cap
serving to hold the retarding tube in position.
The lower end of the retarding tube is provided with inwardly curved or
inclined spurs which permit the gauze to be forced out at the lower end of the
retarding tube, but prevent the return of the gauze when the plunger or packer
is drawn outward. The retarding tube is not quite as long as the body tube,
terminating preferably a short distance from the delivery end of the latter.
The plunger or packer consists of a rod at the outer end of which a disc and a
handle are secured while at its opposite end the rod has two or more outwardly
flared or inclined spurs. The handles are secured to the sleeve at opposite sides
and are preferably in the form of rings, so that the thumb and forefinger of one
hand may be passed within the handles, while the plunger or packer is operated
by the other hand. The handle of the plunger or packer is likewise preferably
in the form of a ring.
In operation, the gauze may be placed in the retarding tube while said tube is
free from the body tube, and when the retarding tube is introduced into the body
tube, it is secured in place by the cap. The body tube is introduced into the
orifice, cavity or wound, and the gauze is forced out at the delivery end of the
instrument on the downward movement of the plunger or packer, and directly

page_text: through the instrumentality of the claws or spurs at the inner end of the plunger
or packer. After the plunger or packer has been carried into the body tube
as far as desired, or until the disc engages with the cap of the body, the plunger
or packer is drawn outward, and at that time the spurs of the retarding tube act
to hold the gauze stationary, while the claws on the plunger or packer are being
brought to a position to again force the gauze from out of the instrument.
All parts of this instrument can be thoroughly sterilized, and when the instru-
ment is made of German silver, it may be made more or less flexible and can be
bent to the curvature of tortuous wounds. By the aid of the improved instru-
ment the uterine cavity can be more quickly, firmly, painlessly and aseptically
packed with gauze than by any other method now in use, and by its aid the nasal
cavities can be quickly and firmly packed to check or prevent hemorrhages, or to
take up secretions. Furthermore, by the aid of this instrument long, deep, or
narrow wounds, punctured wounds or gun-shot wounds can be properly drained,
and re-packing of any deep surgical or other wounds is rendered less painful than
heretofore. In fact, by the aid of the improved instrument, any cavity can be
completely filled, or even distended, and only one strip of gauze need be used,
thus obviating the danger of leaving in the wound any short piece of gauze,
greatly facilitating the removal of the gauze, and moreover, doing away with the
necessity of the repeated introduction of the dressing forceps or other instru-
ments now used for the purpose. Finally, the instrument gives the operator or
dresser the assurance that the gauze will remain in the position wanted and will
not be withdrawn with the instrument.
It is preferable in many cases to use only one hand to operate the instrument,
leaving the other hand free, and in such cases, the thumb of the operator moves
the plunger and the index and ring fingers hold the instrument by means of the
rings in the body tube. It is not at all necessary to remove the retarding tube in
the use of the instrument, such removal of said tube and removal and replacement
of the cap are required only when the instrument is to be cleaned after use, or
for permitting backward movement of the gauze. Preferably in operation, while
the retarding tube is in its proper place, the gauze is introduced into it, and
the body tube is then introduced into the cavity, wound, orifice, etc.
Dated this 1st day of November 1899.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
Improvements in Instruments for Introducing Gauze or other like
Material into Cavities or Orifices of the Human Body.
We, CLINTON TYNG COOKE, Physician, CARLOS AVERY, Publisher, and MERTON
STEARNS GOODNOW, Dentist, all of Hutchinson, in the County of McLeod and
State of Minnesota, United States of America, 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:-
This invention relates to an instrument especially designed for introducing
gauze or other suitable material into cavities or orifices of the human body, for
the purpose of drawing away fluids contained therein by means of capillary
action, or for arresting hemorrhages and for rapidly, firmly and in many cases
painlessly packing gauze into cavities, wounds, fistulas, or other orifices, and in
such manner that the gauze will not come in contact with the superficial portions

page_text: or walls of the cavity until it reaches the desired point, so that the gauze is
introduced aseptically.
The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several
parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through the improved instrument;
Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the inner or retarding
tube of the instrument; and
Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the plunger or packer.
Figure 5 is a vertical section through the outlet end of the outer or body tube
when the inner or retarding tube is dispensed with.
The various parts of the instrument may be made of any material adaptable to
the purpose. The body A of the instrument consists of a tube of any desired
length and diameter, and usually at the upper portion of said tube a sleeve 10
is securely fastened, the upper portion of which sleeve is exteriorly threaded to
receive the interiorly threaded portion of a cap 11, provided with a central
opening 12, through which gauze 13 is introduced into the body tube A. A
retarding tube B is loosely placed within the body tube A, which retarding tube
is adapted to prevent the gauze 13 from working out at the cap end of the
instrument. The retarding tube B is provided with a flange 14 at its upper end,
which flange when the retarding tube is introduced within the body tube rests
upon the upper end of said body tube and its sleeve 10, as shown in Figure 1, and
the cap 11 serves to hold the retarding tube in position.
The lower end of the retarding tube is provided with two or more, usually
three, inwardly curved or inclined spurs 15 (Figure 3) which spurs permit the
gauze to be forced out at the lower end of the retarding tube B, but prevent the
return of the gauze when a plunger or packer C, used in connection with the
instrument is drawn outward, or away from the delivery end of the body tube.
The retarding tube B is not quite as long as the body tube A, terminating pre-
ferably a short distance from the delivery end of the body tube, as is indicated in
Figure 1.
The plunger or packer C consists of a rod 16, at one end of which a disk 17
is secured, provided with a handle 18, while at its opposite end the. said rod is
provided with two or more, preferably three, outwardly flared or inclined spurs 19
shown in Figures and 4. Handles 20 are secured to the sleeve 10 at opposite
sides, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. These handles are preferably in the form of
rings, so that the thumb and fore-finger of one hand may be passed within the
handles, while the plunger or packer is operated by the other hand, and the
handle 18 of the plunger or packer is likewise preferably in the form of a ring,
as illustrated.
In operation, the gauze may be placed in the retarding tube while said tube is
free from the body tube, and when the retarding tube is introduced into the body
tube, it is secured in place by the cap 11. The body tube is introduced into the
orifice, cavity or wound, and the gauze is forced out at the delivery end of the
instrument on the downward movement of the plunger or packer C, and directly
through the instrumentality of the claws or spurs 19 at the inner end of the
plunger or packer. After the plunger or packer has been carried into the body
tube as far as desired, or until the disk 17 engages with the cap of the body, the
plunger or packer is drawn outward, and at that time the spurs of the retarding
tube act to hold the gauze stationary, while the claws on the plunger or packer
are being brought to a position to again force the gauze from out of the instru-
ment. It will be observed that gauze of any length may be used in connection
with this instrument.
All parts of this instrument can be thoroughly sterilized, and when the

page_text: instrument is made of German silver, it may be made more or less flexible and
can be bent to the curvature of tortuous wounds. By the aid of the improved
instrument the uterine cavity can be more quickly, firmly, painlessly and asepti-
cally packed with gauze than by any other method now in use, and by its aid
the nasal cavities can be quickly and firmly packed to check or prevent hemor-
rhages, or to take up secretions. Furthermore, by the aid of this instrument,
long, deep or narrow wounds, punctured wounds or gun-shot wounds can be
properly drained, and repacking of any deep surgical or other wound is rendered
less painful than heretofore. In fact, by the aid of the improved instrument, any
cavity can be completely filled, or even distended, and only one strip of gauze
need be used, thus obviating the danger of leaving in the wound
any short piece of gauze, greatly facilitating the removal of the gauze,
and moreover, doing away with the necessity of the repeated introduction
of the dressing forceps cr other instruments now used for the purpose. Finally,
the instrument gives the operator or dresser the assurance that the gauze will
remain in the position wanted and will not be withdrawn with the instrument.
It is preferable in many cases to use only one hand to operate the instrument,
leaving the other hand free, and in such cases, the thumb of the operator moves
the plunger and the index and ring fingers hold the instrument by means of the
rings 20 in the body tube. It is not at all necessary to remove the retarding
tube B, in the use of the instrument, such removal of said tube and removal and
replacement of the cap 11 are required only when the instrument is to be cleaned
after use, or for permitting backward movement of the gauze. Preferably in
operation, while the retarding tube is in its proper place, the gauze is intro-
duced into it and the body tube is then introduced into the cavity, wound,
orifice, etc..
In Figure 5 I have illustrated a construction of the outlet end of the main or
body tube A when the inner or retarding tube is dispensed with, which may be
done in some instances. At such time the outer or body tube at or near its
outlet end is struck inward at determined points forming openings a and inwardly
projecting spurs a¹ which tend toward each other and extend in direction of the
outlet. These spurs a' act in conjunction with the spurs 19 on the plunger or
packer C.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. In an instrument for applying gauze or the like, the retarder detachably
arranged within the body tube and provided with spurs or the like, to normally
prevent the return movement of the material while allowing the forward move-
ment thereof, the material being also capable of withdrawal from the body tube
by withdrawal of the retarder, substantially as described.
2. In an instrument for applying gauze or the like, the plunger having spurs
or projections to engage the gauze and arranged to reciprocate within the body
tube which holds the retarder, substantially as described.
3. In an instrument for applying gauze or the like, the flange arranged at the
end of the retarding tube to engage on one side, the end of the body tube, and
on the other side, a cap having an opening for the passage of the gauze and of
the plunger.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.