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XII. Description of a new Cuppivg Instrument, 

 By Robert Healy, M. B,^ Dublin, 



No. 1, Clarendon Street, 

 Dublin. 



To Mr, Tilloch, 



Sir, i TAKE the liberty of communicating to you a new 

 method of performing the operation of cupping, without 

 the assistance of the svringe, which 1 have tried, and find to 

 succeed. If you think it worthy of holding a place in your 

 very instructive Magazine, your inserting it will oblige your 

 obedient servant, Robert Healy, M.B. 



Description of the Instrument, 



The instrument consists of two parts, namely, a hollow 

 vessel A, (PI. II.) which may contain about half-a-pint of 

 water, made of very thin sheet-copper, or tin, with a stop- 

 cock soldered into it. The end of the stopcock should ex- 

 lend a quarter or half an inch within the vessel A, for a 

 reason that will be assigned. The other part of the instru- 

 ment is the cupping glass B, made in the usual way, which, 

 is to be adapted to the stopcock, with a screw of a coarse 

 thread. — The instrument is to be used jn the following man- 

 ner: the glass is to be unscrewed from A, a little air is to 

 be drawn from the latter by the assistance of the mouth, 

 the cock is then immediately to be turned to prevent the 

 external air from rushing in. El her or spirits is to be 

 placed in a wine-glass. The mouth of the stopcock is them 

 to be inverted into the liquid so deep, that by turning the 

 cock a sufficient quantity may be drawn up : a drachm of 

 either liquid will be found sufficient. The vessel A is next to 

 be heated to convert the liquid into vapour : as soon as the 

 vapour has filled the vessel, this must be refrigerated in a 

 vessel of cold water, previously turning the cock to prevent 

 the influx of air. A vacuum is produced in proportion to 

 the size of the vessel, and in a very few minutes. The 

 cupping glass is then to be screwed to the stopcock, and 

 placed over the wound made by the lancet or leech. We 

 may adjust the suction by turning the cock, and have a 

 gradual or sudden flow of blood. If the vessel A be of 

 large dimensions, and the patient complains of the suction, 

 we must turn the cock, and either .admit the blood to flow 

 into tlie glass, or unscrew one turn of the ball from the 

 glass, and admit the air to pass through the thread of the 

 screw into the glass. The reason of extending the stop- 

 • Vol. 35. No. 142. Feb, 1810. F cock 



