Process for the disinfection and preservation of corpses / [Hermann Rödiger].

  • Rödiger, Hermann.
Date:
1901
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Process for the disinfection and preservation of corpses / [Hermann Rödiger]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 A.D. 1901 N0 2149 Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1901—Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1901 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION. Process for the Disinfection and Preservation of Corpses. I, Hermann Hodiger, M.D. Physician, of 21 Kaiserstrasse, St. Johan-Saar- brucken, in the Empire of Germany, do hereby declare the nature of this inven¬ tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement: This invention has reference to the disinfecting and preserving of corpses, and has for its object and effect to provide a means of accomplishing this end in a simple and effective manner, and so that the body, after treatment, shall not be deformed in any way, that is, it shall have the same appearance after treatment as before. According to my invention, I enclose the body to be treated in a sack or con¬ tainer of a flexible air-proof material, as india-rubber, and suitably connect same with an air pump. On exhausting the air from the container, the atmospheric pressure on the out-side, causes the enveloping material to lie closely against and press upon the body, and so prevent swelling or distortion of same. After the sack or container enveloping the body has been exhausted of air, a suitable disinfectant or preservative, as for instance, formaline, is admitted to the body, as hereafter described. A means of carrying out my invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings, in which, Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figure 2 a vertical section of Figure 1. As shewn by the drawing, the apparatus consists of a sack or container a of india-rubber or other air-proof material, the top of which is fastened to a metal hoop b, in any suitable manner. The hoop b is provided with a broad flange c to which a cover cl is fitted; the flanges both of the lid and of the hoop are made with corrugations. The lid d also carries the pipe e, provided with a cock f, which serves for forming the connection with the air-pump, and for the intro¬ duction of the disinfectant or preservative material. By means of the screws g, the cover may be pressed tightly on the flange c, so that a perfectly air tight joint is made ; the edge of the bag lying between.c and the lower rim h of the cover, being used as a washer. In carrying out my invention, the corpse is put into the sack or container a, and by means of the screws cl the whole appliance is rendered air-tight; an india- rubber tube is attached to pipe e, connecting it with an air-pump, and between this india-rubber tube and the air-pump, a spirally wound iron pipe may be inserted, which is kept in a red hot state, so that the gases drawn off pass to the air pump in an innocuous condition, and thence into the atmosphere. If now the air is exhausted from the sack a by the action of the air-pump, the pressure of the atmosphere outside will press the material of the flexible sack or container against the corpse with considerable force, and the material will lay itself closely against the body, and so prevent its swelling. There cannot, there¬ fore, be any deformation of the body. The exhausting operation will preferably be continued until the mano meter of the air-pump indicates only a minute degree of air-pressure. After the exhausting operation is finished, the pipe e may be connected to a \Price 8^.]