US73207A - stbele - Google Patents

Description

ALBERT J. STEE LE, l0F NEW' YORK, N. Y.

Lesers Para No. 73,207, dared January 7, 186s.

@La tlgehrley referrer in in ilgrsr tettets tntrut mit meting nur; nf tigt smite.

TO ALLWHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, A. J. STEELE, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Uterine Electrode and Abdominal Supporter; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to makeand use the same, refer# ence being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specication, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the electrode attached to the supporter. i

Figure 2 is a detail view of the manner of securing the electrode in place. Figures 3, 4, and 5 are forms of electrodes. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to the applica-tion of electricityT to the u'terus 'and vagina when these organs are in diiferent pathological conditions.

It consists of insulated wires bent in suitable shapes, audcovered with sponge or other equivalent sub-` stance, for providing a medium of conduction from the insulated wire to the diseased part.

The diierent forms of the electrode are shown, each having special advantages in different conditions of the uterus or vagina, but the principle of my invention is common to all, which is the construction of a wire or conductor'of electricity, bent into certain forms, and insulated with hard rubber, gutta percha, or other suitable material. These forms are then covered with sponge, or other soft absorbent substance, and one or more small holes are made in the insulating-sheath, at that part of the electrode which is in juxtaposition with the part of the vagina or uterus that is diseased. The electrode is connected with one pole of a battery or electromagnetic machine, and a current of electricity passed through the wire form, the patient grasping the other pole of the battery.

` An abdominal belt, A, of any suitable fabric, is made in two parts, the said parts being united by lacing strings, as shown at a a. Flaps b prevent the cords from irritating the skin beneath. Attached to the belt is a strap, B, the posterior attachment of this strap being elastic straps c c c, and the anterior attachment being a buckle, E, as shown in figs. 1 and 2. This strap is attached at the lower" middle edges of the two parts of the belt A, and passes between the legs when in place.v A plate, D, of horn, hard rubber, or other suitable non-conducting material, is secured to the inner surface of the strap B, and this plate is provided with a num` ber of slots, d d for inserting the looped end of the electrode,- as shown at iig. 2. A small clasp-hook, e, then is hooked into'the said looped end, and Vconnected with the battery or machine. The electrode shown at g. 3 is designed for applying the electricity to the anterior and posterior sides of the uterus, and is provided with a bifnrcating stem, ff, a ring, g, cross-pieces, 7L, 'and a loop, j, for attaching the electrode to the plate D. That shown at fig. 4, for applying the electricity to the neck of the' uterus, has stems ff and ring g. In these electrodes the supporting-stems, the rings for contactwith the diseased organ, the cross-pieces for similar object, and the loop j, are of any conducting-wire, bent and soldered in these forms. In figs. 3 and 4, a removed section,'k, shows the wire and its insulating-sheath. Fig. 5 is a simpler form of electrode, constructed on the same principle as the pthers.

When applied, the spongccovering of the .electrode is moistened with water, thus rendering the same a conductor, and the electrode connected with battery. If the organ requires treatment at its anterior or poste` rior sides, or both, the electrode at iig. 3 is to be used, the insulating-sheath having been tapped or punctured accordingly by the practitioner, at the cross-pieces 7L z'.` If the neck ofthe uterus orthe vagina requires treatment, the-rings g or g', or stemsff, are tapped in one or more places, as shown by the dots n, n, u, n', n nn.

The belt A can be used as an abdominal supporter,with or without the electrode attachments. The straps @provide a yieldingl tension to the strap B, whereby the wearer can sit down without being in the slightest degree incommoded by the presence of the electrode when in place. The skeleton of these electrodes being of wire, can be easily bent by the patient or practitioner in such forms as may be found best when adjusting the same.

In addition to the advantages already mentioned, this method of applying electricity to the diseased organ is so simple that the electrodes can be used by the patient after a few precepts, thus avoiding the indelicacy of personal application by the practitioner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLettcrs Patent, isv

l. Wireelectrodes, insulated and covered with sponge, substantially ,as shown, and for the purpose specified.

2. The strap B, for sustaining the electrode in place, substantially as1 shown and for the purpose specified.

3. The form of electrode having a ring, g', and stemsff attached thereto, substantially as shown and for the purpose specified.v

4. The form of electrode having the ring g and crosspieces h 7L, substantially as 'shown and for the purpose specified. l

5. The form of electrode having a single stem,f, and cross-piece h', substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

' 6.`Elastic `straps c ',in combination with the strap B, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

7. The abdominal belt A, in combination with the above-described electrodes, substantially as and for the purposes shown and described.

8. The non-conducting plate D, in combination with the wire electrodes, as hereinafter described, substanf.

tially as shown and for the purpose specified.-

ALBERT J. STEELE.

Witnesses:

WM. F. MGNAMARA, ALEX. F. ROBERTS.

Images