CLASS 1. 2. 2. 16. OF IRRITATION. 75 



and especially such as can be daily or weekly turned, are prefera- 

 ble to others. 



Where frequent lying down on a sofa in the day-time, and 

 swinging frequently for a short time by the hands or head, with 

 loose dress, do not relieve a beginning distortion of the back; re- 

 course may be had to a chair with stuffed moveable arms for the 

 purpose of suspending the weight of the body by cushions under 

 the arms-pits, like resting on curtches, or like the leading-strings 

 of infants. From the top of the back of the same chair a curved 

 steel bar may also project to suspend the body occasionally or in 

 part by the head, like the swing above mentioned. The use oi' 

 this chair is more efficacious in straightening the spine, than simply 

 lying down horizontally; as it not only takes off the pressure of 

 the head and shoulders from the spine, but at the same time the 

 inferior parts of the body contribute to draw the spine straight by 

 their weight; or lastly, recourse may be had to a spinal machine 

 first described in the* Mernoires of the Academy of Surgery in 

 Paris, Vol. III. p. 600, by M. Le Vacher, and since made by 

 Mr. Jones, at No. 6, North-street, Tottenham court-road, Lon- 

 don, which suspends the head, and places the weight of it on the 

 hips. This machine is capable of improvement by joints in the 

 bar at the back of it, to permit the body to bend forwards with- 

 out diminishing the extension of the spine. 



The objections of this machine of M. Vacher, which is made 

 by Mr. Jones, are first, that it is worn in the day-time, and has a 

 very unsightl) appearance. Mr. Jones has endeavoured to remedy 

 this, by taking away the curved bar over the head, and substitut- 

 ing in its place a forked bar, rising up behind each ear, with 

 webs fastened to it, which pass under the chin and occiput. But 

 this is not an improvement, but a deterioration of M. Vacher's 

 machine, as it prevents the head from turning with facility to 

 either side. Another objection is, that its being worn, when the 

 jnuscles of the back are in action, it is rather calculated to pre- 

 vent the curvature of the spine from becoming greater, than to 

 extend the spine, and diminish its curvature. 



For this latter purpose I have made a steel bow, which re- 

 ceives the head longitudinally from the forehead to the occiput; 

 having a fork furnished with a web to sustain the chin, and 

 another to sustain the occiput. The summit of the bow is fixed 

 by a swivel to the board going behind the head of the bed above 

 the pillow. The bed is to be inclined from the head to the feet 

 about twelve or sixteen inches. Hence the patient would be 

 constantly sliding down during sleep, unless supported by this 

 bow, with webbed forks, covered also with fur, placed beneath 

 the chin, and beneath the occiput. There are also proper webs 



