Specification of Walter Blundell : apparatus for applying freezing mixtures to parts of the human body preparatory to surgical operations.

  • Blundell, Walter.
Date:
1855
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of Walter Blundell : apparatus for applying freezing mixtures to parts of the human body preparatory to surgical operations. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Blundell's Improved Apparatus for Surgical Operations. Mode of Operating. The operator first opens the cock E, so as to fill the piece G with the cooled liquid ; he then applies the part g of the piece G to the tooth which is to be extracted, and pressing it upon the tooth holds it there, and then opens the cock I slightly, so as to allow the cooled liquid to flow gently through the 5 piece G (at the commencement of the benumbing operation), so as to absorb the heat gradually from the tooth and gum at such part, and continues opening the cock I at such intervals of time as he finds it desirable, so as to encrease the velocity at which the cooled liquid passes through the piece G, and con¬ sequently encreasing gradually the intensity of the cold at such part; thus it 10 will be seen that as the cooled liquid flows through the piece G, it will be continually absorbing the heat from the region of the tooth, the liquid passing off by the aforesaid cock I into any convenient receptacle ; and it is this peculiar method of absorbing the heat continuously, as above stated, which effects the perfect benumbing of the part to which it is applied. It is to be 15 understood that the degree of coldness of the fluid in the piece G will depend in a great measure upon the velocity with which said fluid passes through the said piece, which may be easily regulated by the operator pressing the tube F between his thumb and fingers. And in applying my said Invention for the purpose of benumbing in the performance of surgical operations generally, I 20 employ in lieu of the piece G before mentioned, pieces of ivory, bone, or metal L, L, of the shape exhibited at Figure 2, or of other convenient form, to which I affix a piece of bladder M or other material (and I have found the bladder of a rabbit answer well), and I connect the pieces L, L, respectively to the tubes F and H, so that in using the same, the bladder M or other material, 25 when filled with cooled liquid, is applied to the part to be operated upon, the size of such said bladder or other material being proportioned to the part to which it is to be applied. It will, therefore, be found desirable in practice to have these parts of the apparatus formed of different sizes, and I also • in some cases prefer employing this bladder or other material, instead of 3Q the piece G for dental operations. And I would here remark that as in practice I have found the above mode of benumbing the sense of feeling calculated in many instances to produce an unpleasant sensation to the patient, arising from the comparatively sudden application of cold to the part which is to be operated upon, I propose, therefore, to remedy this by constructing the 35 apparatus upon the principle contained in a subsequent Provisional Specifi¬ cation of a Patent, applied for by me, the said Walter Blundell, on the
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