Specification of Robert Salmon : catheters and bougies.

  • Salmon, Robert.
Date:
1857
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of Robert Salmon : catheters and bougies. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Salmons Improved Catheters and Bougies. for Complaints in the Urethra and Bladder” are described and specified in manner following, reference being had to the Drawings (that is to say):— My improved instruments are for the purpose up the urethra and into the bladder, and discharging its contents, or introducing any medicament thereto, and are of three several descriptions, as follow:—First, a jointed catheter, 5 made of metal or other materials ; second, a metallic jointed bougie or probe ; third, an improved pliant or resisfcable bougie, to be covered with wax, cao- touch, or any other substance. In order to understand the peculiar properties of these my instruments, and to shew the difference, principle, and superiority of my Invention over every other, previously to specifying my Invention, it may 10 be useful to point out the requisites in the instruments for this purpose, the defects of those in use, and the difference in the action of mine. First, in the human body it is certain that the passage or canal through the urethra and into the bladder is not of any regular continued shape, either straight or circular, but is of compound irregular curvature, so that no unyielding instru- 15 ment, of any shape whatever, can be passed through the whole length of the urinary canal and neck of the bladder, without pressing uneaqually in the passage, or on entering of the bladder and distorting of the natural course; consequently, altho’ an instrument may be of such curvature as to match the canal, yet considerable art and some force must be exerted to get it to pass into go such situation. Under these considerations it is manifest that the requisites, in any instrument for passing into the bladder, is, that it change its curvature in its progress through the urethra and neck of the bladder, and not distort, put out of natural situation, or injure any of the passage which it is only meant to open and pass. Contrary to this requisite, the present construction of 25 catheters and probes is to form them as near as can be to the curvature of the passage, and at the same time of such shape as they may be passed, and these composed of metal, and unchangeable in their curvature, except where the partially elastic tin is used, and were these exactly made of the natural bends of the passage, it would be altogether impossible to pass them; hence it is 30 manifest a distortion of the line of passage takes place whenever passed, and unless art be used so to distort and force part of the passage out of its natural course, the point of any such instrument would not pass into the bladder. From these considerations and facts in practice the common bougie, when properly tempered, is found generally the best instrument to pass. But these, 35 from the uncertainty of the composition with which they are covered, are liable to objections; if covered with caatouch or elastic gum they, without difficulty and improper force of their joints in the advanced part of the urethra or splimeter, will not bend of sufficient sudden curvature to pass such splimeter