IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ADMINISTERING PILLS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sullivan, of the Village of Thornton, in
the County of Simcoe, and Province of Ontario, Canada, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ADMINISTERING PILLS."
Sealed the 12th March 1872, and dated the 13th January 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sullivan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th January 1872.
I, JOHN SULLIVAN, of the Village of Thornton, in the County of
Simcoe and Province of Ontario, Canada, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ADMINISTERING
PILLS," to be as follows:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device, and Figure 2 is a central
vertical section of the same. Like letters indicate like parts in each
Figure.

page_text: The nature of this Invention relates to a device having for its object
an easy and certain administration of pills to the patient, and it consists
in the novel and peculiar construction of the same, which I will now
proceed to describe.
In the Drawing A represents a vessel provided with a handle B and i
spout C, in the general form of a teapot, but much smaller in size. The
spout is flatted towards its extremity, to which is soldered, if it be
made of metal, a downwardly inclined nozzle D, the shorter diameter of
which should not exceed four-twentieths of an inch, for reasons which
will be presently explained. To the end of the nozzle a horizontal 1
mouth piece E is secured, which is intersected at the top near the nozzle
by an inclined pill chute F.
The difficulty of administering pills and powders to all children and
very many adults is well known, to overcome which is the object of this
Invention, which is used in the following manner:-The vessel is 1
partially filled with tea, milk, or other palatable fluid. The attendant,
taking it by the handle in one hand, with the pill in the other, presents
the mouth piece to the mouth of the patient, tilts the vessel so. that the
patient can drink the fluid, dropping the pill down the chute, which is
immediately swallowed by the patient with the fluid. If several pills 2
are to be given they should be dropped in the chute at intervals, so that
a swallow of the fluid may intervene, thus rendering their administration
certain and without the knowledge of the patient.
Powders may be given in like manner; nauseous powders may be
made into pills and given as before described.

page_text: What I claim as my Invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,
is the device for administering pills, consisting essentially of the vessel
A provided with handle B and spout C, the latter being extended to
form the inclined nozzle D and mouth piece E, intersected by the
inclined pill chute F, substantially as described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Sullivan in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th May 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
SULLIVAN, of the Village of Thornton, in the County of Simcoe, and
Province of Ontario, Canada, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Sullivan, Her special license
that I, the said John Sullivan, my executors, administrators," and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Sullivan, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR ADMINISTERING PILLS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Sullivan, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device, and Fig. 2 is a central
vertical section of the same. Like letters indicate like parts in each
Figure.
The nature of this Invention relates to a device having for its object
an easy and certain administration of pills to the patient, and it consists *
in the novel and peculiar construction of the same, which I will now
proceed to describe.
In the Drawing A represents a vessel provided with a handle B and 1
spout C, in the general form of a teapot, but much smaller in size. The
spout is flattened toward its extremity, to which is soldered, if it be
made of metal, a downwardly inclined nozzle D, the shorter diameter of
which should not exceed four-twenticths of an inch, for reasons which
will be presently explained. To the end of the nozzle a horizontal 1
mouth piece E is secured, which is intersected at the top near the nozzle
by an inclined pill chute F.
The difficulty of administering pills and powders to all children and
very many adults is well known, to overcome which is the object of this
Invention, which is used in the following manner :-The vessel is 2
partially filled with tea, milk, or other palatable fluid. The attendant,
taking it by the handle in one hand, with the pill in the other, presents
the mouth piece to the mouth of the patient, tilts the vessel so that the
patient can drink the fluid, dropping the pill down the chute, which is
immediately swallowed up by the patient with the fluid. If several pills 2
are to be given they should be dropped in the chute at intervals, so that
a swallow of the fluid may intervene, thus rendering their administration
certain and without the knowledge of the patient.
Powders may be given in like manner; nauscous powders may be
made into pills and given as before described.
The object in flattening the mouth of the nozzle to the diameter given,
is that it shall form a trap so that the pill cannot accidentally pass into
the vessel. A perforated strainer in the nozzle might accomplish the
same purpose, but it would diminish the flow of the fluid and impair the
efficiency of the device. A strainer may be placed at the bottom of a
the spout, as shewn, to prevent tea leaves, &c., from passing out.
3
5

page_text: This device may be made of any kind of metal, glass, china, earthen-
ware, or of any other suitable material, and may be varied in form to
suit the taste.
What I claim as my Invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,
is the device for administering pills, consisting essentially of the vessel A
provided with handle B and spout C, the latter being extended to form
the inclined nozzle D and mouth piece E, intersected by the inclined pill
chute F, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Sullivan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this 23rd day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.