80 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[November 1. 1911. 



THE USE OF RUBBER PLASTER BANDAGES. 



THE old sticking plaster used by surgeons 30 years ago, and 

 still popular as a household remedy when the childen cut 

 their fingers, has been very largely supplanted in surgical work 

 by india-rubber adhesive plaster. 



The making of adhesive plasters of india-rubber began in 

 the United States about 30 years ago. Soon after — or to be 



.more explicit, in 1884 the manu- 



'" facture of rubber plasters was 



taken up at the Helfenberg 



, "".hemical Works in Germany, 



' "^''" Kiwliere it has continued to the 

 No. 1. Finger Bandage, present time and where these 

 plasters are constructed in a very careful and scientific way. 

 The india-rubber adhesive plasters for the bandaging of wounds 

 are now used quite extensively in surgical work, where the 

 wounds to be covered are no longer subject to ulceration. The 

 plaster is never applied solely by itself, for the wound is first 

 covered with a small piece of sterilized gauze. The rubber be- 

 ing air-tight and water- 

 tight, makes it possible to 

 form a bandage protecting 

 the wound from outside 

 infection. The rubber ban- 

 dage has these advantages 

 among others, that it takes 

 up only a little space, and 

 only slightly interferes 

 with the use of the limb. 

 For these reasons it is 



very frequently used as a f;' ^^-^^ 



finger bandage, where some No. 2. Bandages for Broken 

 strips are laid lengthwise Collar Bone. 



across the top of the finger, and then covered obliquely by other 

 strips as shown in the accompanying cut. 



The use of adhesive plasters for the purpose of fixing bones 

 and joints in certain positions has become general. The accom- 

 panying cut, No. 2, shows the accepted form of bandage in cases 

 of fracture of the collar bone. Strip No. 1, is designed to ob- 

 viate the forward dis- 

 location of the shoul- 

 der. Strip No. 2 

 serves to prevent the 

 collapse of the shoul- 

 der. The middle part 

 of this strip is placed 

 under the elbow of 

 the arm on the in- 

 jured side, and its 



.•'3S-5sS>. 



No. 3. 



Bandage for Club Foot. 

 two ends are brought together on the uninjured shoulder. Strip 

 No. 3 prevents the arm from falling inward. In fracture of 

 the ribs a broad strip of rubber plaster is applied from the side 

 to the breast-bone over the entire place. The rubber bandages 

 serve an excellent purpose in cases of distension and contrac- 

 tion of the stomach, as well as acute cases of stomach inflamma- 

 tion. 



The rubber bandage is also exceedingly useful as a preventa- 

 tive of ruptures of the muscles where such a tendency exists. 

 By its use, workmen whose occupation exposes them to extreme 

 physical strain are saved from the effect of this great strain. 

 As compared with abdominal belts rubber plaster bandages have 

 the advantage of being felt very little when worn. 



The rubber bandage is of great service in the treatinent of 

 club-foot, because it can be applied within a few days after 

 the birth of the child, and without injury to its general health. 

 At this age the use of the bandage is very eflfective, because 

 the formation of the bones of the foot has not as yet made 



much progress, and a moderate pull is sufficient to accomplish 

 the desired result. 



In addition to the instances cited above there are scores of 

 others in which the rubber plaster bandage is of utmost import- 

 ance and value in assisting surgeons in their work. 



RUBBER MUSCLES IN INFANTILE PARALYSIS. 



r70R a long time many of the leading doctors in this country 

 *■ have devoted themselves to the problem of discovering 

 the nature and cause of infantile paralysis, and the further prob- 

 lem of finding soiiie cure for it. It is now believed, after very 

 careful researches, that it is caused by a germ which enters 

 the systein through the nose ; and while they have not yet dis- 

 covered a cure for this terrible and rapidly increasing disease, 

 they have discovered sundry means of checking its progress and 

 alleviating its severity. 



The latest remedial agency has been discovered by a Buffalo 

 doctor, and consists of supplying the patient with rubber muscles 

 to assist the affected muscles in doing their proper work, and 

 in preventing the limbs from becoming deformed. These rub- 

 ber muscles consist of strips cut from a rubber dam, the strips 

 being about an inch in width, in some cases a little wider, ac- 

 cording to the location for which they are intended, and being 

 in length from four or five to eight inches. The ends of these 

 strips are fastened to the patient by pieces of adhesive plaster, 

 that are first very firmly attached to the rubber, and then ex- 

 tended four or five inches over the skin so that they will hold 

 firmly. 



The strips of rubber, which the doctors call "rubber muscles," 

 are used over various joints — the knee, the ankle, the wrist, 

 the elbow and shoulder. They extend about the same length as 

 the particular muscle they are intended to relieve and assist, 

 one end of the strip being fastened over the origin of the muscle, 

 the other over the insertion. The claim made by the inventor 

 of this treatment is, that the rubber muscles stimulate the nor- 

 mal muscular activity and act as a constant force. In this way 

 the lost power is temporarily supplied until the muscles that are 

 paralyzed or affected have recovered. The use of these rubber 

 muscles does not interfere with any other prescribed treatment, 

 such as passive motion, massage, or electrical application, nor 

 does it interfere with clothing or bathing, and the treatment is 

 not only very simple but continuous. It is not intended to be 

 used in advanced cases; but employed before the paralysis has 

 reached an advanced stage of development, this treatment has 

 been found very effective. 



RUBBER MILLS VS. GYMNASIUMS. 



If young college aspirants for athletic honors were advised 

 to go to work in a rubber mill instead of spending several hours 

 a day in the college gymnasium, they would probably scorn 

 the advice; but it seems that some departments of rubber mill 

 work have proved good training for athletic success. A mem- 

 ber of the Diamond Rubber Company's staff says : "At present 

 there are several well-known athletes, wrestlers and boxers 

 working for the Diamond Company; they say it causes them to 

 feel as 'fit' as when training in a gymnasium." These particular 

 athletes, however, work in the tire making department, where 

 there is a constant demand for a great deal of muscular ex- 

 penditure. Given plenty of fresh air and properly regulated 

 temperature, there is really no reason why making tires should 

 not develop the muscles quite as well as swinging on parallel 

 bars and pulling weights. 



A BOOK for everybody interested in tires — "Rubber Tires and 

 All About Them" — this office. 



