August 16, 2009
Dental Patent: 1891 - The Eucalyptus Lady
This is one of the weirdest patents I've ever seen. Yes, it was 1891, but I still have trouble understanding how this patent was ever awarded. Near as I can figure out, Elizabeth Dean said she could imagine all kinds of things people might do with eucalyptus and they gave her a patent! Well, perhaps I exaggerate. Judge for yourself.
Since it is so short, it is actually reasonable to transcribe it. Take a look.
A New or Improved Manufacture of Eucalyptus Products for Various Useful Purposes
I, Elizabeth Dean, of Glenthorne, Worple Road, Epsom, in the County of Surrey, Widow, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement: —
It is well known that the Eucalyptus genus of trees possesses valuable antiseptic and medicinal properties, and is supposed to destroy microbes in the atmosphere. It is sometimes called the Fever Tree, as it has been found beneficial in reducing fever when put in the rooms of patients suffering from that disease. I propose to prepare and use the leaves and other parts of Eucalyptus trees, in a convenient manner, so that the above named valuable natural properties may be more conveniently applied for the relief of mankind than has hitherto been done.
My invention consists in applying the leaves, seeds, gums, fibre and other parts of the tree to various articles of common use as follows. The leaves are dried in the sun or by artificial heat, and are then selected cut or wrapped to be used as a substitute for tobacco, for smoking in pipes, or in the form of cigars, or cigarettes. This has been found to be a not unpleasant substitute for tobacco, and — unlike the latter — it leaves a clean and rather pleasant flavour in the mouth. The leaves and fibre may also be used in making the stuffing of beds, mattresses, bolsters, pillows, and the cushions of chairs and sofas. Furthermore, the leaves may be used for fumigating rooms, as a tea or combined with the leaves of the tea plant, or — when ground — used as a snuff, for tooth powder, or combined with the fats employed in making soap and candles.
I propose also to form the gum into lozenges for the throat and chest, and to use it for plasters and poultices. The seed is ground and used with or without ground gum and leaves in making bread, or in other culinary operations.
For any of the above named purposes, the leaves or other products of Eucalyptus may be made up into convenient parcels or packages for ready use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is: —
A new or improved manufacture of Eucalyptus products, prepared and packed in suitable parcels in the manner and for the purpose herein described.
This 5th day of October 1891.
FAIRFAX & WETTER
Per E.C.B.
Posted by pfa at 09:10 PM | Comments (0)
May 08, 2009
Dental Patent: 1886 - Berlin Dentist Works through Claudius Ash to Patent Elevating Chair
This patent is interesting in that it shows some of the politics of international patent applications at the time. The actual creative individual in this patent is Daniel O'Connell, who sounds Irish but is living in Berlin. At this time, the Germans were the leaders of the dental profession, so if you were serious about dentistry that was a good place to study. To patent in the Britain (what we think of now as the United Kingdom), he worked through an agent. In this case the agent was the Ash firm. Given that the Ash firm marketed dental chairs, there may be an implication that this innovation was something they were interested in marketing or producing.
Daniel O'Connell's Elevating Chair, via Claudius Ash: Title Page
Daniel O'Connell's Elevating Chair, via Claudius Ash: Detail Page
More images of this patent can be browsed here.
Patent UK 1886 #10,052: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosefirerising/tags/patentuk188610052/
More patents can be browsed here.
Flickr: Dental Patents Set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosefirerising/sets/72157613314928074/
Posted by pfa at 09:08 AM | Comments (0)
March 15, 2009
Dental Patent:: 1892 - A Women Inventor
"I, Alice Edith Emily Johnson, of the Terrace Downham Market, Norfolk, Spinster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention ... "
In the 1800s and early part of the 20th century the idea of a woman as an inventor was to many incongruous and perhaps even laughable. However, while patents awarded to women were not in the majority, there was a solid presence from "the gentler sex". This is but one example, with others to follow.
Because the patent application process required providing your profession, it is interesting to observe the labels people provided for themselves in this context. Here, Miss Alice identifies her profession as "Spinster," a label we would now try to avoid.
A new or improved toilet set for tooth powder, tooth brushes, and the like:
See more images from this patent here:
Patent-UK-1892-6840: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/patentuk18926840/
Posted by pfa at 04:37 PM | Comments (1)
February 18, 2009
Dental Patent: 1878 - SS White's Elevating Chair
Because the British patents were often applied for as part of establishing precendent for patent applications in other countries, you can find patents awarded to people from many locations, including patents awarded to prominent people from dentistry in the Americas. In this week's example you see a patent for a dental elevating chair awarded to a representative of SS White - Samuel Stockton White, publisher of Dental Cosmos.
Browse more here:
Flickr: Patent-UK-1878-109: http://flickr.com/photos/rosefirerising/tags/patentuk1878109/
Posted by pfa at 04:09 PM | Comments (0)
February 05, 2009
Dental Patent #1: 1876, Dental Articulators
We are beginning a new series which we hope you will enjoy. Some years ago the Dentistry Library had the opportunity to acquire a collection of historic dental patents covering the late 1800s through the early 1900s. The collection is intriguing for several reasons. Most important, the collection includes copies of patents award to such notables of dental history as Claudius Ash, Samuel S. White, and William Taggart.
The collection is of patents from the United Kingdom, but includes a great many American inventors. The reason for this is that it was more difficult to gain patents in the USA, so a common strategy was to first apply for a UK or European continental patent, and to use that patent to establish precedence in the American patent application process. You can find patents from New York, Florida, South Carolina as well as Austria, France and of course England.
The variety of careers represented is also curious. Many of the dental patents actually came not from dentists, but from engineers, jewelers, and people who identified themselves as Gentlemen or Gentlelady.
We have a partial finding aid available:
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~pfa/pro/dentalpatents/
Currently we are seeking support to complete the finding aid and find new ways to make this unusual collection more available to the public. As we begin this process, for the next few weeks we will highlight one patent per week, illustrating some of the more interesting aspects of the collection.
Our first highlighted patent is the earliest one in the collection, from 1876 on dental articulators.
AUTHOR: Davidson, George Gensee.
CLASS: Dental Articulators.
ADDRESS: 415 Old Kent Road, Lambeth, UK
PROFESSION: Dentist
TITLE: Improvements in the Construction of Dental Articulators
APPLICATION DATE: January 5, 1876
AWARD DATE: April 19, 1876
ACCESS NUMBER: PATENT-UK-1876-45
Here is an image of the key innovation.
Here are other images from this patent.
Let us know what you think of this project. You can send email to the Health Science Libraries at hslibraries@umich.edu, or add comments to this blogpost or the images in Flickr. We look forward to your feedback.
Posted by pfa at 03:27 PM | Comments (0)