improved means or Appliances for Promoting or Modifying the Circulation of the Blood in a Living Body.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Sept., 1887
Complete Left, 14th June, 1888
Complete Accepted, 20th July, 1888
improved means or Appliances for Promoting or Modifying the
Circulation of the Blood in a Living Body.
I, EDGAR BLUCK, of 18 Alexandra Road, South Hampstead, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to an improved means or apparatus for promoting or modi-
fying the circulation of the blood in a living body, and has for its object the cure of
sundry diseases, such for example as locomotor ataxy, paralysis, rheumatics, and
wasting limbs, and for giving tone and strength to other parts of the body which
have lost their power, by causing influx and efflux of the blood in the parts affected.
According to one manner of carrying out my invention, I enclose the affected
part of the body in a case or covering which is so arranged that I can partially oxhaust
the air from it; such exhaustion of the air causes a flow of blood to the part under
operation. After this has taken place, 1 cease the exhausting action, and allow the
air to again enter the case or covering, thus allowing the blood to flow back again in
the ordinary course.
According to another modification, 1 sometimes alternately exhaust air from, and
pump air into a case or covering enclosing a limb, the action being by this means
rendered more powerful. When the application is to be made to a part only of a
limb, or to a part of the trunk of the body, I in some cases apply a hollow cup-shaped
or otherwise conveniently formed vessel or covering to such part of the body, and
the same may be either held in position only by the suction of the air (when air is
exhausted from it); or, may be attached in any convenient manner (as, for example,
by bandages,) so as to allow of the alternate suction and pressure being applied. The
cases or coverings intended to be used in connection with this invention, are made of
any suitable shape and size to suit the parts to be placed under the treatment, and of
any suitable material-such, for examplo, as iron, zinc, or other substance of sufficient
[Price 8d.1

page_text: resistance to pressure, the joint between such case or covering and the flesh may
be of elastic material such for example as india rubber. The evacuation and com-
pression of the air can be effected by any convenient means such as a pump, which
may be made to serve one or both purposes as desired. Flexible, tubing forms a
convenient means of connecting the pump to the case applied to the patient.
Dated this 14th day of September 1887.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means or Appliances for Promoting or Modifying the
Circulation of the Blood in a Living Body.
I, EDGAR BLUCK, of 18 Alexandra Road, South Hampstead, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what 1
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improved means or appliances hereinafter described for
promoting or modifying the circulation of the blood in a living body, and has for its
object the cure of sundry diseases, such for example as locomotor ataxy, paralysis,
rheumatics, and wasting limbs and for giving tone and strength to other parts of the
body which have lost their power, by causing influx and efflux of the blood in the
part or parts effected.
According to one manner of carrying out my invention I enclose the affected part
of the body in a case or covering which is so arranged that I can partially exhaust
the air from it and I alternately exhaust air from and force air into the said case or
covering by which means circulation is enforced in a more efficient and reliable
manner than by simply alternately exhausting and admitting air as heretofore
practised.
When the application is to be made to a part only of a limb, or to a part of the
trunk of the body, I in some cases apply a hollow cup shaped or otherwise conveniently
formed vessel or covering to such part of the body, and the same is attached in any
convenient manner (as, for example, by bandages,) so as to allow of the alternate
suction and pressure being supplied. The cases or coverings intended to be used in
connection with this invention, are made of any suitable shape and size to suit the

page_text: part or parts to be placed under the treatment, and of any suitable material—such for .
example, as iron, zinc or other substance that will offer sufficient resistance to the
pressure.
The joint, between such case or covering and the flesh, may be of elastic material.
such for example as india rubber, care being taken that it is sufficiently thick and
strong to maintain a good closure under the desired pressure.
The exhaustion and compression of the air can be effected by any convenient means
such as the pump illustrated in the annexed drawing. In this drawing 1 is a case or
covering adapted to contain a limb, such as a persons hand and part of the arm that "
It is formed of suitable
is to be submited to the treatment herein before described.
material such as metal, closed at one end in which, in the example shown, is a pad or
cushion for the hand to rest against and provided at the other end with a sleeve or
band 2 of suitable material such as. india rubber that will form a secure closure
around the limb or part to be treated.
It is to be understood that the case or covering may be of any suitable form
depending upon the part or parts to be treated. .
2 and 3 are the two branches of a double branch or two way pipe to which is
connected. at 4.a.tube 5 establishing communication with the interior of the case or
covering and at 6 another tube 8 establishing communication with a pump 7 that
can be used both as an exhausting pump and as a force pump, in the manner herein-
after described. The tubes 5 and 8 are as I prefer made of flexible material such as
india rubber. The two branches 2 and 3 are provided with cocks or plug valves 9
and 9 respectively for enabling the communication between the case or covering and
the pumps to be opened and closed as required as hereinafter explained. The cock 9
is provided with a non-return valve (not shown) that will permit air to pass from the
case or covering 1 to the pump 7 when the cock 9 is open, but will not permit air to
flow in the opposite direction.
The cock 9* is provided with a valve, (not shown,) that will permit air to flow into
the case or covering but will not allow air to pass in the opposite or outward direction.
The branch pipe 3 is provided with a lateral pipe 12 in communication with the
atmosphore. The passage through this pipe is controlled by a cock or valve 13
provided with a non-return valve so that air can enter when the cock is open but
cannot flow out. The branch 2 is also provided with a lateral pipe 14 the passage
through which is controlled by a cock 15 within which is a valve (not shown) that
will permit air to be forced outward but will not permit air to flow inward.
With the arrangement shown air can be exhausted from and compressed into the
case or covering I as follows, it being assumed that the limb or part to be treated in
the manner herein before described is placed in the case or covering and that an air
tight closure exists between the two.
To exhaust the air from the case or covering the cock 9 in the branch 2 must be
opened, the valves in the branch and lateral pipes 3 and 12 closed, and the pump 7
set in action. Air will then be drawn from the case or covering, at each outward
stroke of the pump, such air being prevented from returning on the backward siroke
by the non-return valve in the cock 9 and caused to escape past the valve in the
cock 15. When the exhaustion has been effected to the required degree the cocks 9×
and 13 in the branch and lateral pipes 3 and 12 respectively are opened and air
allowed to flow into the case or covering until the pressure therein is equal to that of
the external atmosphere.
To compress air within the case or covering the cocks 9 and 15 must be closed
and the pump 7 again set in action. Each outward stroke of the pump piston draws
air through the pipe 12 past the non-return valve in the cock 13 and each inward
stroke of the piston forces such air through the branch 3 and cock 9* and non-return
valve therein into the case or covering, the operation of the pump being continued
until the air within such case or covering is compressed to the required degree. The
non return valves in the cocks 9* and 13 prevent the air so compressed escaping
during the outward strokes of the pump piston. The cocks 9 and 13 may then bo
closed and the cocks 9 and 15 opened and the case or covering again exhausted by

page_text: operating the pump as before, the above described operations being repeated as often
as may be necessary.
Instead of using a single pump that acts both as an exhaust pump and as a force
pump as required, I may in some cases use two pumps one for exhausting and one for
compressing. In this case the exhausting pump should be connected to the branch 2
and the force pump with the branch 3, the part of the double branch pipe between
the points of connection of the pumps with the branches 2 and 3 being closed by any
suitable means as for instance by a cock.
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
My improved means substantially as hereinabove described for promoting or
modifying the circulation of the blood in a living body.