Specification of James Darsie Morrison : production of anaesthesia.

  • Morrison, James Darsie.
Date:
1858
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of James Darsie Morrison : production of anaesthesia. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Morrisons Improvements in Producing Artificial Anaesthesia, §c. cooling and expansion. The cold action thus induced, both upon and sur¬ rounding the tooth, nearly or completely removes the sense of feeling, and enables the operator to extract the tooth with little or no pain to the patient. The cold from the two sources referred to may be applied either by two separate and mechanically distinct channels, or the aerial flow may be brought 5 through a tube surrounding the tube which conveys the cold from the centrally applied cooled surface. And in order still further to secure the proper anses- thetical condition, an electric current is or may be brought from a suitable battery and applied by a wire to the parts under treatment; and this appli¬ cation may either be made alone or in conjunction with the artificially produced ^ anmsthesia due to congelation. In all these three applications constant and graduated currents are used ; for instance, in the case of the centrally applied cold, resulting from the action of the surface cooled by the cold liquid, the current is made to pass continuously over or in contact with the surface con¬ veying the congealing effect to the parts under treatment. The graduation of 15 the temperature of all the currents is effected by the interposition of such bodies as will enable the operator to vary the conducting power. This Invention, or modifications of it, is applicable in various surgical opera¬ tions for the reduction of pain, such as where the knife or saw is used; and it is also suited as a remedial agent in various purely medical processes. 20 And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall now proceed to describe the several illustrative Figures upon the explanatory Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto appended, for the purpose of showing certain modifications under which my improvements may be judiciously carried out in practice. 25 The modifications shown in the accompanying Drawing represent the instru¬ ments adapted for producing anaesthesia, or insensibility to pain, during operations connected with dental surgery. Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation or side view of an instrument for depriving the gum and other parts of the human mouth of sensibility by 30 means of congelation or exposure to a low temperature, whereby the animal heat is abstracted and a numbness or insensibility to pain is induced ; Figure 2 is an end view, Figure 3, a plan, and Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view, of the instrument inverted, or in a position contrary to that shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a longitudinal elevation, and Figure 6 is a plan, of an 35 improved surgical instrument for inducing or maintaining the anaesthetic condition of the gums or other parts where the surface operated upon is of comparatively small area. The instrument shown in Figures 1 to 4 of my illustrative Drawing is in-