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ter receiving several improvements in 1800, was patented, JaDuary 29, 1801.

It was fent to London, April 10, 1800, to John Fry, jun. merchant, with a power of attorney, to folicit and receive in my name, a patent from the proper office, and to vend the fame in Great Britain and Ireland, if the advice of profeffional men fhould render it expedient. I declined taking the patent at the stipulated price of one hundred guineas; and have fuffered the model, drawing, and descriptions, to remain with him in London, to the present time.

I fhall finish this communication, by tranfcribing the words of my patent in the United States, and the schedule annexed thereto, containing a description of the inftrument; trusting, that this document will furnish fatisfactory evidence of my juft claim to the invention.

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

To all to whom thefe Letters Patent fhall come; WHEREAS, Jofeph Strong, a citizen of the state of Pennfylvania, in the United States, hath alleged, that he has invented a new and useful improvement, called the Axle Tourniquet; which improvement has not been known or used before his application has made oath, that he does verily believe, that he is the true inventor, or difcoverer, of the faid improvement, &c. &c. &c.

Given under my hand, at the City of Washington, this 29th day of January, 1801, and of the independence of the United States of America, the twenty-fifth.

Atteft,

By the Prefident.

JOHN ADAMS.

J. MARSHAL, Secretary of State.

CHARLES LEE, Attorney-General.

The SCHEDULE referred to, in these letters patent, and making part of the fame, containing a description, in the words of the

faid Jofeph Strong himself, of his improvement, called the Axle Tourniquet.

Description of the Axle Tourniquet, invented by Jofeph Strong.

It is named STRONG's Axle Tourniquet, to be expressive of the mechanical power employed in its construction, and in contra-diftinction to the fcrew tourniquet of Pètit, now in common use.

It confifts of the following parts, viz.

ift. A brass plate of an oblong fhape, two inches, more or lefs, in length, and one or more in breadth, with a flit near each edge, to admit the webbing used for the compreffion. The brafs which forms the outfide of the flits may be omitted, and small brass or steel rollers fubftituted, to leffen the friction of the webbing. The rollers are not effential, but may be used to diminish friction. The brass plate should be concave in a small degree, to receive a cushion, and to fit the limb in the beft

manner.

2d. Two upright standards, flat or round, fixed by rivet or screw near the ends, and on the central line of the brass plate, to fupport the axle or roller, which is received through holes made at equal diftances in each from the plate, and near the top of each standard. The length of the standards may be varied as experience may best determine, from one and a half, to two inches and upwards. Upon the edge of the standard furtheft from the handle, is fixed a spring stop, by a brass offset or steel knob, a small distance below the hole for the axle; which bears a strong steel bevil point through a square or round hole, to ftrike the central line of the gudgeon.

3d. The axle is of brafs or fteel, with a flit of the fame length, as in the brass plate, to admit the webbing. The flit may be divided equally, by a fteel bar funk into, and rivetted through the roller; and the webbing paffed round the bar, VOL. I.

S s

and both ends of it through the flit, instead of paffing one end of it over the half circumference of the axle. This method would produce the most exact movement of both parts ⚫ of the webbing; but with the fingle flit, it is fufficiently equal for all practical purposes. To avoid the neceffity of the slit, and to strengthen the axle, it may be folid, of brafs wire or caftings; and the webbing secured to it by a staple, strongly rivetted through it. The length and diameter of the axle may be varied according to the metal ufed, and the purposes to be anfwered. It moves on gudgeons in the upright standards, and by means of the flit or flits, or ftaple of the axle, winds up the webbing alike from each fide of the limb, making the compreffion, true and equal. On the gudgeon, which is struck by the steel point before-mentioned, is cut notches, teeth, leaves, or holes half the length, or more, of the gudgeon, from the end towards the roller; which are entered by the bevil point of the fpring, and forms a strong and safe stop upon the axle: on the fame principle that a ship's windlass is stopped, when weighing an anchor. The advantage of the spring stop, is, in giving fecurity to the compreffion, and to admit of relieving it with great facility when requifite.

4th. A handle balance-lever, or double winch, fixed upon the other end of the axle, to give it motion and mechanical force. This winch or double lever, is the wheel of the axle, Its length may be varied with the size of the axle, to give any degree of mechanical power wanted for the purpose of compreffion. The shape of the handle may be altered as experience fuggests.

5th. A piece of webbing with buckles and cushions, to adapt to the limb, to comprefs the blood-veffels.

The fize of the tourniquet may be varied to anfwer all the purposes of that inftrument, in the field or navy: from the greater operations in furgery, to the simple act of phlebotomy. Small tourniquets of this kind may be made for the use of bleeders, to comprefs the veins; and if, by accident, any wound was made upon an artery, the power of the inftrument would be equal

to stop the hemorrhage. On this account, it may be introduced by phlebotomifts, and being a convenient comprefs for their purpose.

Varieties of Stops.

ift. A ratchet wheel on the end of the axle, with a flide or fpring catch, to it.

2d. A fcrew, with a convenient thumb-piece, to pass into the edge of the standard, and thence to the central line of the gudgeon.

3d. A fcrew cut upon the end of the axle, and a nut with arms convenient to move it, which, by drawing the gudgeon against the standard, will prevent the axle from moving backward.

4th. A falling bar, flide or button, to prevent the handle from moving backward.

City of Washington, January 1ft, 1801.

JOSEPH STRONG.

JACOB WAGNER,

HAZEN KIMBALL.

} Witnesses.

References to the Plate. Fig. I.

AA. The two upright standards which support the axle. The brafs plate, to ends of which the standards are fixed by rivets or screws.

BB.

[blocks in formation]

D. One of the rollers, the other being concealed by the webbing ufed for the compreffion.

EE. The webbing, to which cushions or pads and buckles must be fitted.

F. The axle or roller, with a flit in the centre to receive the webbing.

G. The ratchet wheel fixed by fcrew to the end of the axle. H. The fpring-catch or ftop to the inftrument, which enters the teeth of the ratchet wheel.

Figure 2.

A representation of the brafs plate of which the other parts of the inftrument are raised.

[blocks in formation]

cc. The two flits between the rollers and plate for the webbing to pass through.

d d. The notches cut in the plate at its ends, where the standards are fixed by dove-tails and screw

An Account of the Efficacy of Blood-letting in the Cure of Drophies. Extracted from two Letters to MR. JOHN E. COOKE, Student of Medicine in the University of Pennsylvania, from DR. THOMAS SIM, of Leefburg, Virginia.

I. February 4th, 1804.

"I HAVE lately met with a cafe of afcites, combined with ana

farca, the practice in which being novel here, but perfectly conformable to Dr. Rufh's fyftem, I feel an inclination to state to you. The fubject was a woman in early life: previous to any appearance of her last disease, afcites, &c. fhe had been for fome time ill with an autumnal bilious remittent which had debilitated her very much; when the enlargement of the abdomen was first perceived, her periodical fever, which had affumed the tertian type, disappeared: the effufion continued to advance rapidly, under the skin as well as in the cavity: in this fituation I was called to her. I commenced (after a dofe or

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