US2074909A - Activation device for the heliopyretic treatment of matter - Google Patents

Description

ACTIVATION DEVICE FOR THE HELIOPYRETIC TREATMENT OF MATTER Maximilian L. Herzig I E Frances R Hermg M. L. HERZIG El AL Filed Nov. 16, 1936 Patented Mar. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Maximilian L. Herzig and Frances R. Herzig, Puyallup, Wash.

Application November 16, 1936, Serial No. 111,102

3 Claims.

This invention relates to the irradiation of fluids and'suspensions and especially those intended for medicinal use in the practice of the healing art.

The objects of the invention are to provide means for exposing the material being treated to the desired rays from the sun or from any artificial source of visible or invisible rays; to provide means whereby the exposed area may be controlled; to provide means whereby the active rays are concentrated upon the material being treated; to provide means whereby a plurality of liquids may be simultaneously treated with the same degree of radiation; to provide means for promoting the fluorescence, phosphorescence and luminescence of the materials being treated and to provide means for secondary radiation; to provide means whereby the time of exposure of the fluid to the rays may be shortened without corre- 0 spondingly decreasing the radio-activity of the substance; and to provide for heating the substance simultaneously with its exposure to the rays from the source of radiation.

We attain these and other objects by the devices and arrangements illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my device; Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section thereof; Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof, a portion being broken away to reveal the interior thereof; Fig. 4 is a rear sectional view thereof, taken in the line 6-4 in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 in Fig. 6, showing a variation of my device; Fig. 6 is a front elevation thereof; and Figs. 7 and 8 show variations in the form of header.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

It is a well known fact that heat energizes and activates living forms and tissues and synergizes the processes of metabolism, and that cold inhibits growth in living organisms and retards healing and renders dormant the vital processes. It is also well known that certain rays of the visible and invisible spectrum have bactericidal 5 powers, while certain other rays, or similar rays with different conditions of exposure, can be made to proliferate growth of tissue, enhance development and metabolism, and again other rays, such as the deep X-rays destroy certain living forms and Vagabond cells.

It has been usual to pass the fluid to be irradiated in passageways or containers around the source of the rays thereby producing more or less turbulence in the'fiuid. This is particularly an unnatural agitation in the case of blood, because blood does not normally circulate in a turbulent manner but in a smooth and even flow. It is important that a device of this character should be adapted for use with blood and blood mixtures because the body can be vitalized and caused to be activated, as by certain vitamins, by the expedient of proper irradiation of blood with certain radio-active and/or photosensitive substances, as per example a greater calcium and phosphorus balance may be obtained by the irradiation of the substance known as sterol, in the blood; In addition to their bactericidal and antitoxic potency, certain rays, in proper dosage, may be made. to increase the leucocytes, so called policemen of the blood, as well as the red cells with the accompanying sense of well-being and fortification against infection,'which benefits are passed on to the remote fluid and fixed cells and tissues within reach of the circulation.

Our device may also be used in conjunction with diagnostic procedures such as rendering the gall bladder more visible by X-raying the organ following the injection of appropriately treated material indicated.

This device may be used for blood and blood mixtures either by the direct and closed or the indirect and open method.

The fluid being irradiated may pass through the device several times in series, if it is desired to give it a veryprolonged exposure to the rays, or it may pass through the device in several parallel streams if a greater speed of irradiation is desired.

Referring, now, to the drawing, it will be seen that the frame comprises a fiat plate I, having rearward-extendingflanges 2 and acentral opening 3. The space to the rear of the plate I is occupied first by a series ofquartz tubes 4 which lie across the opening 3in the plate I and each of which is adapted to receive and convey a stream of the fluid to be treated by the radio-active rays passing through theopening 3 in the plate I. In certain cases we also expose thesaid tubes 4 to radio-active rays from the rear as well as through theopening 3, thereby increasing the exposure thereto and reducing the time necessary to attain a given degree of irradiation. In other cases we expose the rear sides of saidtubes 4 to heat. In this case the source of heat is mounted in thechamber 5 to the rear of thesaid tubes 4 and is preferably mounted on an adjustable frame 6 whereby its distance from thesaid tubes 4 may be adjusted. In still other instances we mount a small arc light I on the 'said adjustable frame 6, said light being the source of heat and a great variety of radio-active rays. l l

when it is not desired to utilize the above described rear treatment, we provide a reflecting surface in the frame I to the rear of saidquartz tubes 4. As shown in Fig. 3, theside flanges 2 are provided withgrooves 8 and a curved and corrugated polished metal plate 9 is slid between the saidgrooves 8. This plate 9 is formed substantially as shown in Fig. 3, having a general cylindrically curved form and having parallel grooves III of much shorter radii forming depressions substantially concentric withthesaid tubes 4. Thismirror plate 8 therefore receives the radiation which has passed between and through thetubes 4 and reflects it back on to the said tubes thus utilizing the radiation to a fuller extent than without the use of said refiector.

Thetubes 4 pass through holes I I in the upper andlower flanges 2 of the plate I and are held in place therein by means of rubber gaskets or washers", as shown in Fig. 2. They can, therefore be easily removed from the frame for the purpose of sterilization or renewal as desired. Both ends of eachtube 4 are connected to the headers l3 by means of rubber tubing l4. A variety of such headers maybe provided, as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 in the drawing. In Fig. 7 the fluid will pass in series from one to the other tube so that the stream will be successively exposed in each of thesaid tubes 4; or in Fig. 1 it will pass in parallel through the several tubes, the stream of fluid being divided into a number of smaller streams, each of which is simultaneously and equally exposed to the radioactive influence; or in Fig. 8 the tubes may be separately attached to different supplies of different fluids which will simultaneously pass through the device in different tubes.

In the variation of the above described apparatus, shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the stream of fluid passes by one of the several entrance pas sages l5 into a chamber l6 formed in a metal casing-l1. The metal casing has an opening I! in its front, said opening being closed by means of a quartz lens or sheet l9, held in place by ascrew ring 20, or other similar means; a suitable washer 2i being provided to prevent leakage of the fluid past the quartz lens IS. The rear of the chamber i6 is formed concave and is highly polished to form areflective surface 22. Asuitable outlet passage 23 permits the fluid to pass from the chamber [6. In order to heat the fluid in the chamber l6, we form a second closedchamber 24 to the rear of therearreflective surface 22 and mount in said chamber 24 a suitable source of heat, such as anelectric resistance unit 25. Suitableventilating passages 28 may be provided at the upper and lower ends of thisheat chamber 24. The chamber l6 may also be used to mix different fluids entering it by the several passages I5 at the same time that they are being heated and irradiated.

When it is desired to control the area of exposure of the liquid being treated, we attach an adjustable iris thereto, said iris having a'plurality of shutters 2l operable in a manner similar to the adjustable iris found in the usual photographic camera.

In certain cases the fluid is caused to flow through the device by means of pressure developed by other means than by gravity.

In the case where the are light is used-as above described, and in which certain forms of carbons are used, gases are given off which would contaminate the surface of thetubes 4 by condensing metallic oxides thereon, thereby rendering them less effective for the transmission of the desired rays, we convey a washing fluid, preferably distilled water, by thepipes 28 to each of thetubes 4 below theupper flange 2 of the frame I, and permit it to flow down the outside of the tube,

thus carrying away any oxides which may condense thereon and keeping the quartz tubes clean.

Our device may be used in any position, horizontal, vertical or inclined, so long as the fluid level of the upper end is above the outlet end thereof or so long as suitable pressure is applied to the fluid. This is not possible when a mercury light is attached to the irradiating container because the light must be kept in vertical position while in use.

An unique and it is thought original mode of treatment is provided by the use of ourinvention in that the beneficent effects of an artificial fever of any predetermined degree may be imposed upon a small portion of the circulation of the blood, or as much thereof as may be indicated, thereafter to be returned to the circulation for a similar and beneficent impetus upon the rest of the body economy.

Other advantages of our invention are that it provides means whereby the blood, in a transfusion operation, may be kept at body temperature; and means whereby fluids may be submitted to pasteurizing or other degrees of heat while in process of irradiation.

It will be understood that the term "radioactive herein applies to radiations covering the visible and invisible spectrum.

From the above description, it will be seen that a fluid in passing through thetubes 4 may be exposed to any degree of radio-active influence, and any desired degree of heat simultaneously and that the rate of the flow of "the fluid may be changedby causing it to flow in parallel or in series through the several tubes and that the ad- Justabie iris, which may also be applied to the form shown in Flgs.'5 and 6, adjusts the area of exposure of the fluid in thetubes 4 or in thechamber 16. V

It will be understood that many variations in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts of our device may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention as outlined in the appended claims.

Having, therefore described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-'-

1. In a device for exposing a fluid to radioactive influence, the combination with a. frame; a plurality of parallel radio-active penetrable tubes mounted in said frame and adapted to' convey the fluid to be treated across the field of radio-active rays; and a reflector adjustably and removably mounted in said frame and comprising a polished metal plate of general cylindricalformwith corrugations therein.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said corrugations are substantially concentric with said tubes.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cylindrical curve and said corrugations have axes parallel with said tubes.

MAXIMILIAN L. HERZIG. FRANCESR. HERZIG.

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