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DESCRIPTION OP A VAPOUR, FUMIGATION OR SHOWER-BATH. 



Description of a vapour, fumigation 

 or shower bath. 



*ddapted at a cheap expense for Public 

 Hospitals, or Private Families. 



By Geoi'ge Cumming, M. D. 



Trans. Soc. of Arts. Vol. 33. 



This Bath is extremely simple, and 

 may be conveniently made of a piece of 

 cooperage, of sufficient dimen.'^ions. But 

 nothing can perhaj)s answer better than a 

 common wine-pipe, which after being 

 well washed, is to be sawn across, al)out 

 the middle, then to be well scraped and 

 cleaned in the inside, and afterwards pla- 

 ced vertically upon a frame with castors. 

 The upper half (in the top of which an 

 aperture has been previously prepared for 

 the iiead and neck of the bather,) is to be 

 furnished with cord pullies and counter- 

 poise, so that by connecting it with any 

 beam, roof, or ceiling, it can be raised or 

 depressed, or in other words, the bath can 

 be opened or shut with the greatest facility. 

 Upon the margin of the lower piece of 

 the bath there is a groove, three-fourths of 

 an inch deep, receiving the circumference 

 of the upper half and which is thus form- 

 ed. A strong iron hoop is first put on, on 

 the outside, and then well driven about 

 half its depth, when a similar one, after 

 being riveted, is driven to the same depth 

 within. — The groove thus formed, is of 

 the first importance, as it not only rend- 

 ers the bath, with the assistance of a little 

 water, steam tight, but also effectually 

 prevents it from undergoing any change 

 of shape. It may also be observed that 

 the above hoops are so hammered or set, 

 as to make the grooves somewhat wider 

 than the staves upon which they are ap- 

 plied, and that the edge of the upper or 

 moveable piece of the Bath, is cut with a 

 cooper's knife so as readily to fall, or slip 

 into it. 



The boiler is distant from the Bath 

 about six feet, and the steam pipe is made 

 to enter an inch above the bottom, and to 

 extend itself horizontally to the centre of 

 the same, when with the view of equally 

 difi'using the heat, a piece of coarse linen 

 or calico stretched upon a hoop (with a 

 notch to admit the steam tube,) is placed 

 over it. This may be called the difTuser, 

 and is made of a less diaineter than the 



bottom of the bath, in order that the feet of 

 a strong frame or grating to support the 

 bather, may securely rest upon the bot- 

 tom of the bath. 



Immediately over this grating, a floor 

 of split ash (like a sieve,) is laid, and 

 upon this, a seat is placed which is fasten- 

 ed to tiie side of the bath, by means of a 

 bracket. This seat serves the bather as a 

 step as he gets in, or comes out of the bath. 

 To accommodate the various sizes of bath- 

 ers, light frames covered with split ash, 

 in the manner of cane-work, may be 

 placed upon the same seat if required. 



The whole of these loose articles may 

 be packed within the bath, when not in 

 use, and placed in proper order, in a few 

 seconds when wanted. 



Dr. Cumming concludes his general de- 

 scription of the apparatus by declaring that 

 it is simple, cheap, neat, durable and effi- 

 cient, and admits of a great variety of ap- 

 plications. 



In this opinion we perfectly concur, 

 and think that Dr. Cumming has made an 

 useful present to the public, in contriving 

 this apparatus, which may enable many an 

 invalid to employ the valuable remedy of 

 a vapour bath with comparative ease and 

 cheapness. 



AN IMPROVED MACHINE TO ENABLE BOOT 

 AND SHOE MAKERS TO WORK WITHOUT 

 PRESSURE UPON THE BREAST OR STO- 

 MACH. 



By Mr. J. King, Trans. Soc. of Arts. 



This machine consists of an oblong 

 frame of wood of two sides, with cross 

 pieces. It may be conveniently fixed in 

 a situation, and at a proper height for 

 working, by screwing down to a window . 

 sill by means of two screws, such as are 

 used for bedsteads. These, and an iron 

 bracket extending from the front to the 

 machine, being screwed against the wain- 

 scot, support the machine very steadil}'; 

 or a stand consisting of proper legs, may 

 be used if preferred. The external parts 

 of the machine are covered with leather, 

 so as to become like cushions to support 

 the last, and it is held down by a strap, . 

 which has a loop or treadle at the bottom, 

 for the foot. The principal novelty of 

 this invention consists in a lever which 

 is attached by an iron link to a wire, 



