US487655A - Electro-therapeutic process and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) v Y J. M. WARDELL. ELECTRO THERAPB-UTIG PROCESS AN'D APPARATUS.

No. 481,655. 'Patented De@ 6, 1892.

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JOSHUA MEARVE WARDELL, OF CADILLAC, MICHIGAN.

ELECTRO-THERAPEUTIC PROCESS AND APPARATUS.

.SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,655, dated December 6, 1892.

EApplioation led February 20, 1892.. Serial No. 422,302. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSHUA MEARVE WAR- DELL, of Cadillac, in the county of Wexford and State of Michigan, have invented an Improved Therapeutical Process and Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

In the therapeutical application of hot water and electricity, separately or together, to the vaginal canal for the cure of local inflammation or other diseased conditions certain difficulties have been encountered and certain defects have existed in the instruments used, which are removed by my process and apparatus.

The details of application and construction of the same are as hereinafter described, reference being had to accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal section of the instrument. Fig. 2 illustrates the practical application of the instrument.

The instrument is a vaginal syringe with an electrode attachment. The syringe is composed of five principal parts, to wit: the hollow tapered body ot and shield b, formed integrally, the water-inlet tube c, arranged within such tapered body a and projecting therefrom, the water-exit tube d, which is similarly arranged relatively with the inlet-tube, and an electrode e, which is arranged in the airchamber f, surrounding the inlet-tube c. The said electrode c is formed of some metal which is a good conductor'of electricity, while all the other parts (a, b c d) above mentioned are constructed of some non-conducting material, preferably* hard rubber. The circular portion of the electrode e forms a smooth continuation of the tapered body a, exteriorly, and extends rearward beneath it for a sufficient distance to provide for a detachable screw-thread connection at g with the inlettube c. The inner end of the outlet-tube d is flared to form a shoulder adapted to the correspondingly-beveled extremity of the inlet-tube d, and said tube d is secured firmly in place by a screw-thread connection at h on the rear end of the inlet-tube, as shown. The latter is enlarged interiorly forward of this point to form an annular space, through which water is conducted to the exits z'.

A compressible bulb j, such as forms part of the ordinary hand-syringe, maybe iexibly connected with the rigid inlet-tube c, as

shown, or in place of the bulb I may employ the well-known water-bag, (not shown,) which is a common substitute therefor. A flexible tube k is also connected with the rigid outlet-tubo. Cocks or turning-plugs Z Z are applied to the outer ends of theinlet and outlet tubes, respectively, for a purpose hereinafter explained. A soft-rubber washer m is applied to the outer end of the exit-tube d to prevent any leakage of water through the screw-joint at h. A large soft-rubber Washer 'n is applied to the body of the syringe adjacent to the inner side of the curved shield b to aid in preventing escape of water, and also to form a cushion for the soft parts of the person, with which the shield would otherwise come in direct contact.

The method of using the instrument is as follows: Suitable connection is made between a battery and the electrode e, as shown in Fig. l. The instrument having been applied to the body of the patient, as shown in Fig. 2, a second electrode, which is also connected with said battery, is applied to the patients back, hips, or abdomen. Water is first injected by means of the compressible bulb j and the vagina thoroughly washedA out. The cook Z of the exit-tube is then turned to close it and a sufficient quantity of water is injected to distend the vagina so fully as to obliterate its folds, so as to come in contact with every portion of the membrane, as well as submerge the os and neck of the womb, as illustrated. The plug Z of the inlet-tube c may then be turned to close the latter, and thus the water that distends the vaginal cavity is confined therein and may be retained at will. The electrical current passes from the electrode c into such body of water and is by it disseminated to all parts of the membrane or tissue with which the water is in contact. The advantage thus obtained in the application of electricity is very great and virtually constitutes a new departure in electrical therapeutics, forlby other methods and means heretofore commonly employed reliance was placed on the electrical current following the water as ejected from the instrument used; but experiment has proved thatit will not do this, or at least not to any considerable exextent, and hence little or no curative result IOO can be thus obtained, save such as comes from the application of the hot- Water to the in- Iiamed or diseased parts.

In case it is not desired to apply the electrical current to a patient the battery-Wire is disconnected from the instrument, and then the latter may be used as an ordinary syringe. It will be noted that the air-chamber surrounding the inlet-tube prevents the access of undue heat from the hot Water employed to the vulva and contiguous parts. Skillful physicians often use Water having ateniperature of 120 in syringes of this class, since it has been found to be perfectly safe and very advantageous to apply Water to the os and adjacent parts atthis high temperature which could not be applied to the vulva and connected parts Without more or less serious injury.

What I claim is- 1. In the therapeutical application of electricity, the process hereinbefore described, which consists in injecting into and temporarily confining in the vaginal canal a quantity of liquid sufficient to distend its folds and applying the electrical current directly to and disseminating it throughout such body of water, and thereby conducting it to and securing its tonic and other effects upon the whole surface with which the Water is in contact, as shown and described.

2. An instrument for therapeutical application of electricity to the vaginal canal, which consists of a syringe having a hollow nonconducting body and an exterior ilange or shield, an electrode arranged on the inner end of such body and extending rearward, as specied, a Water-inlet tube arranged Within the said body, but separated from itby an airspace, and the Water-exit tube arranged within the inlet-tube and secured to it, substantially as shown and described.

3. An instrument for therapeutical application of electricity to the vaginal canal, which consists of a syringe having a hollow nonconducting body and an exterior flange or shield, an electrode arranged on the inner end of such body and extending rearward, as specified, a Water-inlet tube arranged within the said body, but separated from it by an air-space, and provided with a stop cock, and the exit-tube secured within the inlet-tube and also provided with astop-cock, as and for the purpose specified.

Y JOSHUA MEARVE VVARDELL.

Witnesses:

CHAs. H. NICHOLS, I. U. STANLEY.

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