US1474196A - Filing system - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 13, 19 23; 1,474,196

I J. M. LEAHY v A FILING SYSTEM- Filed Aug, 24. 1921 llIII]IIIllllllllmlllIllIllllIll]llllllllllflllllllllll! 13 calm/7 12 Deaths 7 "(.71

J1 Injury to 9 10 N 5 Z 1/ I e Deaths 9 In /@1170];

53.24 intestines.

inn 4 $50272 If Patented Nov. 13, 1923.

JOSEPHINE M. LEAHY, 0F HOUSTON, TEXAS.

FILING SYSTEM.

Application filed August 24,,1921. Serial No. 495,045.

of the body may be positively traced, their peculiar phases observed and compared,and phenomena noted, the efficiency of the system increasing in accordance to the degree to which it is, extended.

A novel feature of the invention, resides in the provision of packs of index cards or guides, each constituting collectively a unit,

intended to contain the records of diseases included in one section of a sectionalized classification list of diseases, arranged according to current nomenclature, each section being devoted to diseases which attack a particular part of the body, each unit being divided into groups or divisions, and each division having a definite identifying color, to thereby convey to one familiar with the system, that information of a certain character will always be found under that color, and all the colors in all units being always arranged in the same relative order.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means in each unit of the system, whereby to simultaneously locate, by means of a black line carried by a mortality card, the border of each division and the total resulting deaths caused by the disease recorded therein, so that one familiar with the signification of the color of that particular division (which for example may designate Complication under Section 24, entitled Intestines of the classified list mentioned in the foregoing) may readily ascertain, without handling all the complication cards, the number of deaths due to complications.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a. system of the class described, supplemental white index cards for each division, adapted to be inserted as occasion requires, each white card bearing an identification mark of the same color as that'of' the division'into which it is intended tojbe inserted, so that the cards may be withdrawn and indiscriminately mixed, and still be easily replaced in their respective divisions. 1

A still further object of the invention is to provide a filing system of e class described, whereby not only the number alone of similar diseases and their behavior may be recorded for comparison, from widely separated institutions, but whereby special conditions and unexpected results may be recorded to note their average frequency, and association of one condition with another.

Other-objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out throughout the specification, the preferred form of the invention being shown in the accompanying drawings of which: i e

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pack of index cards, embodying the invention, two section leader cards being shown, the cards between same representing .a complete section, the divisions thereof being indicated by the heavy transverse lines.

Figure 2 is a. diagrammatic view, showing the upper long edge of the cards and the inscribed titles thereon, the cards collectively constituting a complete section covering diseases of the intestines.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view, crosshatched to indicate the several division colors, thereby illustrating how the divi- ,under identical and varying conditions.

It is a matter of great difficulty to asoer-, tain how many cases of a certain disease had been treated, say, for a period of months, in even well-known hospitals, how many of these acted as a complication, how many cases primary of the disease developed complication, and under what circumstances and conditions- Torcollect reliable information along these lines, applicant has found that even in the better regulated hospitals the individual charts of the thousands of patients being" treated in these 'institutions are solely relied upon to glean any detail knowledge in the interest of health preservation or restoration,

According to the nomenclature of one hospital diseases .havebeen classified, one

classification; having forty-o1ie sections, beginning: with: I Section 1. General diseases:

, Anf ective.

EGei1eral injuries.

S'ec'tiOnQ; Diseases due to animal parasites; Section 3; Diseases I due to metabolism v Sle'c'tion k Diseases peculiar to infancy.

Sectiono. Diseasesdue to physical agents.

HAppendicitis, subacute, and soon, to the forty-first entitled Ill defined or'unclassifiedy' Obviously, it would require an enormous expenditure of time 'and'energy, to gather data on all the dis-- eases included in these forty-one sections, by

having recourse only tothe individuahpatient charts ordinarily constituting the only source from which information may be had; It is anob'ject of the invention to provide a system, whereby to collect data for research purposes representing the experiences of many hospitals covering a wide territory,- so that the. findings wilhrepresent awtair average.

Referringto the drawings, 1 and'2'desi 2; nate leaderf ,Q ui'des'bearing the title of the section and appropriate data, as Section 24, Intestines as shown; Following-the leader -giiiidel, the section mortality guide 3, upon which it is intendedto record the total number of deaths caused by diseasesTof the intestines.- Following the mortality guide are the. disease guides, of whichtwo numbered 4 'and""5are'shown, and'which may be on guide .5.

termed sub-guides. The disease guides carry the namesof the diseases common to the intestines, such as appendicitis the title of guide a and Intestinal obstruction Accompanying each disease guide,is a mortalityguide 6, upon which it is intended to record the number of deaths caused by the disease. Following the mortality guide, arecrtheer individual patient cards 7, preferably identified by number as Case No. 1 by which it will be known in the "hospital. The cards 7, are intended to carry data'relating to the patient usually kept-in hospital records, the data consisting ordinarily of the name of the patient, place of I residence, nationality, age, and supposed ailment. Following the case cards, are the supplementary guides 8 01 18, of which two kinds only are shown, one under the caption o1t Appendicitis'and the'other under Pernumber "18. The supplementary cards contain inpartsuch'data from the cards 7 as=is considered 'essentiaLt-he cards S-being filed subsequently from time to time containing new importantdata which has subsequently;

developed, the cards 8 thuswtorming across index-.1

Sometimes the cards 7 disclose that a number ofpatients reside in the same locality, which, in research'work, is significant in that caus'es'of diseases may be traced to either insanitary conditions or contagion. This would be considered sufiicie'ntly important data to be recorded on the supplementary cards.

Thus, all diseases common-to the intestmesf may be recorded, each of SllClTdlSGZLSGS being separately recorded in one division, as for eXamplethe diseases Appendicitis 1 and intestinal obstruct on are here recorded in the two divisions represented bythe gu'ides 4 56-''7- and A11 o-i the"mortal-ity ,cards have preferably a black border or edge 19, which-will show when the-cards are stacked on edge, asin -a drawer, wherebythedzivisions throughout-the section are plainly'discernible.

'ito'n-itisf th'e latter bein'gdesignated by the Further, all the cards (exceptingthe sup-- plementary cards of each division correspondin g tothe cards 8101118), constituting divisions and hea dedby sub guides -and idesignatin z diseases common to the intestines, arepreferably bodilyof a definite color such as bufl,said color to"serve as a symbol *throuQhoutall sections of the system whereby o'n'e'familiar with same will knowthat all bu'ff cards have reference to eases.

Follo'wingthe bu'if division, is'the sub- 'inai-n dis- Y guide} card 10, hearing the title Injury to,

after which follows the mortality card 11, and the'case card 12; To' render the Injury to division plainly discernible these guides which standsio'r injury to the intestines? are preferably green. Following this division is the division headed by the sub-guide 13 entitled Secondary existing condition, having its death card 14, colored'canary but having no cases recorded. The following division covers Complication and has subguide 15 and a death guide 16 followed by the disease card 17, entitled Peritonitis and by the supplementary white card 18 entitle Complication. This supplementary card 18 is filed in this division to indicate that one of the appendicitis cases subsequently developed peritonitis, it being noted that the corresponding card 8 (which has buff diagonal lines on a white ground) in the buff section is blank, thus indicating that no important developments worth recording as special data have taken place in cases N0. 1 and No. 2 filed in that section. Thus it is a simple proceeding to readily ascertain how many cases acted as complication, and what other diseases the complication involved, and what other diseases were developed as the main disease progressed.

Incidentally, it is intended to record observations of unusual behavior on the supplementary cards such as 8 or 18, so that if the supplementary cards of the Intestines section, for instance, of my improved system, were collected from many hospitals, they could be conveniently compared and studied by the student and finally returned to the respective institutions.

In order that the supplementary cards may be readily returned to their proper division, each card bears, preferably, an identification mark, such as diagonal stripes 19, of the color of the division to which the card belongs. It is, also, to be impressed with the date and year, so that data, may be compared as to periods of time by the student.

Following Complication come the three divisions Chief operation, Secondary operation, and Operation for complication numbered 20-21 and 22, and colored red,

vpurple and pink respectively. A mortality card 23, intended for the three divisions is provided. lVhile no supplementary card is shown in either of these divisions, it is to be understood, that such cards are intended to be used in all divisions as occasion may require. Thus, operations may disclose major adhesions, gall stones, tumors and the like, all of which may be briefly recorded on supplementary cards in a manner to identify each operation, with the proper case number recorded in the buff division. An autopsy card 24: is the last card in the sec tion and is intended to receive such notes concerning findings as are thought sufiicieutly important to record.

In Figure 3 of the drawings, the several divisions are suitably cross-hatched, to show, in a manner, how the colors offset each other,

so that one familiar with the system may go directly to the division containing the formation sought. The stripes of the supplementary cards arealso indicated on the edges thereof to facilitate finding them when in search of supplementary information.

In Figure 4 is shown a supplementary card containing information, and Figure 5 illustrates a section of the classified index file, showing 'Sec. 21, Tongue and six subguides cards giving preliminary informa tion as to what are the subjects of record. in the filing system.

In the classification file, which may be a separate drawer if desired, the leader card 25 is preferably yellow in color as indicated, and all the sub-guides 27 and 31 inclusive, are lavender, so that the section title may be readily found. The sub-guide 26 entitled 1. A record keeping system for use in.

hospitals, said system being coordinated to a classified group of titles relating to diseases common to certain parts of the body, said system comprising. a plurality of sections of record-holding cards, each section including record-bearing cards 7, and rec ord-bearing cross index cards, said cross index cards being divided into groups, said groups being located in accordance with the progressive steps of the disease designated by its title, and with associated conditions subsequently developing, and being rendered distinguishable from other cards by having identifying marks thereon, the record carried by said cross index cards differentiating from the record carried by the cards 7, in that it relates only to subject matter covered by one of said titles, whereby unusual behavior and phenomena developed by the diseases represented by said titles may be tying that the pack contains information.

having sub-guide cards, including a leader sub-guide bearing the title of the subject matter recorded in the group, and a mortality card bearing the-record of death's caused by conditions forming-partof vsaid subject matter.

3. A record-keeping system .foi recording the progressive stages of medical and surgical cases, andassociated conditionsand ultimate result, comprising aplurality of unitary packs of cards, each packahavinga main card bearing the-title signifyingithat the pack contains recordsrelatingto. dis-- eases which commonly attack a; certain part of the body, each pack being divided into groups, and each group being adapted to re ceive data cards relating to a special condition, and having .sub+guide cards including a mortality card for-recording the deathsresulting from the condition recordedrtherein and a sub-guide card for recording the sum of the deaths'of all theigroups.

LA filing systemifor; recording the progressivestagesof a diseaseand filing sup;- plementary matter, comprising sections of index cards, each-section devoted tcidi-seascs common to aparticular partofthe-body,

and being divided into divisions, each division being intended forrecording information gleaned from a particular.part'of'the regular course'ot a disease, andsaid d1v1 sioirhaving guide cardswith lnscribed titles designating the nature of saidinformation including a death cardinieachidivision having a black border positioned so, as to form the outer border of its respective division.- 7

In testimony whereof I -affix=my signature.

JOSEPHINE Mj. LEAHY

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