Improvements in therapeutic magnets / [Thomas Hammill Hicks].

  • Hicks, Thomas Hammill.
Date:
1890
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Improvements in therapeutic magnets / [Thomas Hammill Hicks]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    JX° 20,093 A.U. 1889 Date of Application, 13th Dec., 1889—Accepted, 22ncf Mar., 1890 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION. Improvements in Therapeutic Magnets. I, Thomas Hammill Hicks, of the citv of Detroit, in the County of Wayne and State of Michigan, United States of America Physician, do hereby declare the nature ot my invention and in what manner the same is to he performed to he particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:— It This invention relates to new and useful improvements in Therapeutic Magnet, and the invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of a magnetic field combined with an electrode, all as more fully hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which my device is shown half in central section and the other half in elevation. 10 A is a hollow metallic body, preferably of globular form. B is a magnet, secured in the center of axis of the body, and having its ends preferably projecting to the outside, said magnet being either a permanent or an electro-magnet. _ o ( C and D are screw-plugs secured in screw-threaded apertures formed in opposite 15 sides of the body A, one of said apertures being large enough to introduce the magnet through them into the interior of the body, and if desired to fill the remaining space therein with any neutral or insulating body, such as sulphur, resin etc. The plugs are preferably interiorly recessed to receive the ends of the magnet to hold it securely in prescribed position. 20 EE are two metallic rods secured at right angles to the magnet, in the screw- plugs U and D respectively, and E1 E11 etc., are intermediate rods secured at intervals between the outer rods E in the shell of the body, and extending parallel to each other and to the outer rods to an equal distance from the axis of the magnet. These rods are preferably made of tubing of any metal except iron, with an iron core F 25 enclosed in each tube and extending into proximity to the magnet. Near their outer ends the metallic rods are connected by a cross-bar G, of insulating material, and to each of the free ends of the rods is secured an enlarged metallic pole piece K, or head, preferably of globular form and provided with a socket H or other convenient means for detachably securing thereto metallic contacts of various forms, 30 or electrical connections, such as the plug I which has a shank J adapted to fit into the socket H. The device being constructed substantially as described and shown is intended for therapeutical use and its application is based upon the fact that magnetism even in its most subtle form acts upon the human system in a physiological sense and can thereby 35 be made to form a valuable curative agent in the hands of those having the necessary experience in its application, and while the scientific principles upon which this application of magnetism is based are still involved in much controversy it is established beyond doubt that each portion of the magnetic field produces a different physiological effect upon the human system, and the principal object of my invention 40 is to construct a magnet, in which the field is divided in such a manner that the patient may be placed in a certain relation of communication with any desired portion ot the magnetic field having different intensity or sign and correspondingly different action on the human system. Thus it will be readily seen that in this respect all the metallic contacts or poles K 45 being in different relation to the magnet, or its field have different magnetic values or properties, and thereby the physician is enabled to intelligently select the one for application which in his experience suits the case, the patient being brought either in direct contact with this pole, or if this is not practicable, indirectly through an extension secured thereto. [Price 6d. |