Year: 1888

page_text: We, GEORGE CHARLES WALLICH of 26 Addison Road North, Notting Hill in the
County of Middlesex M.D. and SILAS MAINEVILLE BURROUGHS and HENRY SOLOMON
WELLCOME both of Snow Hill Buildings in the City of London, Manufacturing Chemists
do hereby declare tlie 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:
Our invention consists of an improved inhaler or a vessel adapted for cold inhalations
or for the inhalation of steam charged with such quantities of drugs as Terebene,
Ether, Ammoniacal compounds &c., as is necessary for the particular inhalation
required, without having as is usual to mix the drugs themselves (which may be
costly and powerful,) in wasteful quantities with the hot water used.
To clearly explain the nature of our inhaling vessel reference is made to the
accompanying drawing which represents a sectional elevation of same.
The body A of the vessel may be of earthenware, glass, or other suitable material, and
is provided with a cap C of similar material, and a handle B in which is a passage a
for the admission of the necessary air to the vessel. At a suitable point near tho
mouth a ledge b is formed on which rests a thin perforated metal or other plate e.
Above this ledge b the walls of the vessel A are cut away to receive an annular
In the interior
cork D, the upper part of which is cemented or secured in the cap C.
of this cork is an inverted glass funnel E, the bottom of which rests on the plate e.
Around the upper part of the funnel and above the cork D) is a thin annular cork
washer, the purpose of which is to prevent any risk of the funnel being broken
by coming in contact with the earthenware cap C and to keep it securely in
position.
In practice the cork D will generally be found sufficient to close the mouth of the
vessel against the admission of air at that point when in use but it is sometimes
advantageous to employ the rubber ring g which when the cork is pushed home, will
be flattened and pressed against the wall of the funnel E and the plate e as shown.
This funnel contains a sponge h or other suitable absorbent material (which when in
use is saturated to the required degree with the drug to be employed in the inhalation)

page_text: and terminates at top in a narrow neck on which is placed a rubber tube ; which may
terminate in a suitable mouthpiece.
In some cases we may find it preferable to form the air passage a in the walls of
the vessel itself instead of in the handle as the air passing in will then be somewhat
heated when the vessel contains hot water which will prevent the latter from being
cooled too quickly. The base of the vessel is also hollowed out to reduce the loss of
heat from contact with the surface it rests upon.
It will be seen that in using the vessel the steam from the boiling water is drawn
through the saturated sponge, where it takes up a modicum of the drug, and from
thence into the lungs, and while retaining this as the essential feature of our invention
we may modify the construction of the inhaler as desired. For instance it will be
evident that the cap itself may be constructed to contain the sponge or absorbent
material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. An inhaler consisting of a vessel having an air passage and a closely fitting cap
carrying or containing a chamber fitted with a sponge or absorbent material and an
inhaling tube substantially as described.
2. An inhaler consisting of a vessel having a suitable handle an air passage a funnel
or vessel for an absorbent material with a perforated base or plate a closely fitting cap
and an inhaling tube substantially as described.
3. An inhaler constructed substantially as described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of Annil 1000
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agent for the Applicants.