150 History of Mechanical Inventions and 



to apply the Syphon to this purpose, in place of syringes and pumps, Mr 

 Bryce conceived the idea of making the longer branch of the Syphon move- 

 able, so that, when the shorter leg was in the stomach, the moveable leg 

 could be raised above the mouth, or placed in the usual position below it. 

 To the common oesophagus tube, about 26 inches long, a tin tube of the 

 same calibre is accurately fitted, by making the one pass about an inch into 

 the other. This tin tube is about three feet long, or to be more portable, 

 it may consist of two pieces, each 18 inches long, to be accurately fitted to 

 each other, as above mentioned, and the joinings made air tight, by being 

 neatly and firmly wrapped round with slips of wetted bladder. A bladder 

 holding about a quart of liquid is then to be firmly fixed to the extremity 

 of the tin tube, and this bladder fitted with a ring and stopper at the end 

 farthest from the tin tube, for the purpose of emptying or pouring liquids 

 into it. In using this instrument, the oesophagus tube must be introduced 

 through the nose or mouth into the stomach, so as nearly to reach its bot- 

 tom. The extremity of the tin tube is then to be joined to the oesophagus 

 tube, and the joining made air tight. The bladder being then filled with 

 tepid water, or any other fluid, the extremity of the tin tube, with the at- 

 tached bladder, is then raised towards a perpendicular over the patient's 

 head, and the fluid instantly descends into the stomach; and in order to 

 extract it again, it is only necessary to depress the bladder and tin tube 

 below the level of the stomach so as to form a Syphon. 



It will be obvious to our readers that a Syphon upon the same principle 

 may be conveniently used for any other purpose, and may be appropriate- 

 ly called a moveable branch Syphon. The two branches may in that case 

 be of metal, glass, or any substance joined by an air tight joint. In cases 

 of exigency two glass tubes, or pieces of any tube might be joined into a 

 Syphon, by making the joint of bladder as above described. 



3. Mr Shiell's Triangle for Elevating the Jet of Fire Engines. 

 This very ingenious contrivance, ^vhich was used with great success in 

 the late fires in this city, is shown in Plate I., Fig. 5., where ABC is the 

 triangle or tripod, consisting of beams of wood. 

 A is 40 feet long, and 5 inches diameter at the middle. 

 B and C 30 feet, do. do. 



D the Yard, 12 feet. 

 E the Swivel turning in the end of A. 

 F the Jet or Director moving in the Swivel E. 

 G the Lathe Hose connected with the Engine. 



H Three ropes attached to the end of the Director, one comes down direct 

 to the Frame J, and the other two pass through holes in the extremities of 

 the Yard, and thence to the Frame J. The first rope serves to give a ver- 

 tical motion to the Director, and the latter two serve to guide it to the right 

 or left, so that by these ropes any power may direct the Jet in any required 

 direction. 



This sketch is not exactly Mr Shiell's plan, (in which the legs of the 





