Process of spinal analysis

Application filed January 18, 1924. Serial No. 687,151.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Dossa D. Evins, a citizen of the United States, residing at Davenport, in the county of Scott and State 5 of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Processes of Spinal Analysis, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a process of spinal 10 analysis, which consists in comparing the simultaneous temperatures of separated areas along the spine. It has for one purpose the detection of inflammation or other conditions which cause local increases in 15 temperature, through the detection of the local differences in temperature so set up and the location of the points so heated.

One application of my invention is the detection of inflammation or other abnormal 20 conditions along the spine.

Other objects will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less 25 diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a more or less diagrammatic perspective view of one form of apparatus for carrying out my process.

Figure 2 is an enlarged and more or less diagrammatic view of the contacting element shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of the wiring and connections of the 35 contacting and indicating elements shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a view of a variant form of instrument which may be employed in the practice of my process.

Figure 5 is a view of a contacting element wherein flexible arms are used.

Figure 6 is a variant form of instrument wherein the contacting elements are associated in one casing with the indicating 45 mechanism and dial.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of another form of instrument in which I employ the Wheatstone bridge.

Figure 8 is a view of a contacting ele50 ment in which a plurality of thermocouples, or in effect, a thermopile, are used.

Like parts are illustrated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawing.

⁵⁵ In Figure 1, I have illustrated in a dia grammatic perspective a typical application of my process. A is any indicating means, preferably a galvanometer, which is provided with a graduated dial A¹, associated with which is a fixed indicating arrow 60 A² and an arrow A³ adapted to move in response to the current passing through the galvanometer.

B is the contacting instrument, wherein is employed a thermocouple. It is well 65 known that when a junction of two dissimilar metals, such as copper and constantan, to name but one example, is connected to a galvanometer, variations in temperature at the point of connection of the two metals 70 will cause deflections of the galvanometer needle. This is due to the fact that the electric flow from the junction of the dissimilar metals varies in response to changes in temperature of the junction point. 75

In association with the indicating galvanometer dial I may use a contacting element, such as is shown in Figure 4, comprising a single thermocouple, one junction of which is. exposed to fluctuations of tern- 80 perature, the other being kept at constant temperature. In the form of Figure 4 the constant temperature is provided by the contact of the thumb or finger of the operator, but obviously any other suitable 85 means can be used for maintaining the constant temperature.

Although the form of Figure 4 is practical, I prefer to use a contacting element in which two junctions are exposed, so that 00 by a simultaneous application of the two junctions to adjacent but spaced apart portions of the body, the operator can tell whether or not the two spots are at the same temperature, and if not, the differ- 95 ence between them. Instruments of this type are shown in Figures 2 and 8.

Owing to the small amounts of current generated by a single thermocouple, the preferred form consists of a plurality of 100 thermocouples connected in series, whereby the effect of one thermocouple is multiplied by the number in series. This device is commonly known as a thermopile. For the sake of brevity, the two junctions of a single 105 thermocouple, for example X, Y of Figure 3 and the plurality of junctions of the thermopile, X, Y of Figure 8, will both be referred to as junctions.

In the use of any form of my invention no

Q

1,552,284 in which the pair of junctions are simultaneously exposed to the body temperature, the direction of flow of the current indicates which junction is exposed to the higher tem5 perature, and the magnitude of the deflection of the needle indicates the magnitude of the difference. For example, a focus of inflammation, or any other heat-creating focus can be detected when the instrument 10 indicates that one of the two junctions is exposed to a higher temperature than the other. The existence of such a focus or heated spot can then be verified by comparing the temperature of the suspected area 15 with the temperature of one or more other points upon the. body.

In the forms shown in Figure 2, I show a handpiece B¹, through which passes the flexible connecting cord B² which may extend, 20 as shown in Figure 1, to a galvanometer. Secured to the handle B¹ is an extension or head having the forks or branches B³, B⁴. Connecting these branches is positioned a ribbon or wire B^T of constantan or any other 25 metal suitable for use as the element of a thermocouple. This strip is connected at each end, as at B⁸, B⁹ to the terminals B⁵, B⁸, of copper or any other suitable metal, which in turn are connected to the galva³⁰ nometer by the copper wires B¹⁰, B¹¹, which pass through the cords B². This connection is diagrammatically shown in Figure 3 wherein X represents one junction and Y the other.

³⁵ In the form shown in Figure 4, the galvanometer G is provided with a scale G¹ in which zero is centrally located as at G². G³is any suitable handle having the junctions G⁴, G⁵ one at each end of the handle. In ⁴⁰ the use of this instrument the junction G⁴contacts the body of the patient and the junction G⁵ is maintained at relatively constant temperature by contact of the finger or thumb of the operator.

⁴⁵ In the form of instrument shown in Figure 5, I replace the rigid arms B^s, B⁴ of Figure 2 by the flexible arms H² secured to the terminal portion H¹ of the handle H. At the extremities of the flexible arms are 50 the junctions Η³, H⁴. The arms are herein shown as consisting of spiral metallic conduits, but any other form of flexible or adjustable arms might be used.

In the form shown in Figure 6, I illus55 trate the combination in a single casing of the galvanometer and the two junctions, I being the galvanometer dial with the needle I¹, and I², I³ being arms, extending from the galvanometer casing, in which are ⁶⁰ mounted the junctions I⁴, I⁵ connected for example by the strip or wire I⁸ and being connected to the galvanometer by the wires I⁷, I⁸.

In the form diagrammatically shown in ⁶⁵ Figure 7, I employ a Wheatstone bridge.

It consists, when used for the purpose of my process, of the two equal and constant arms K², K³, and of the two variable arms K and K¹, which are equal when their temperature is equal, this equality of temperature being 70 shown by the absence of deflection of the galvanometer needle K⁵. If K and K¹, for example, are of fine platinum wire or of any other material which changes in resistance in response to changes of temperature, the 75 balance of the bridge will be overthrown when the element K is subjected to a temperature greater or lesser than that to which K¹ is subjected. These differences in temperature are indicated by the galvanometer 80 needle.

In the form of instrument shown in Figure 8 in order to increase the responsiveness of the contacting member, I employ a thermopile composed of a plurality of thermo- 85 couples in which metal wires or elements of diverse characteristics are alternated. This thermopile may be arched or shaped to conform to the shape of the contacting element, one junction being at the end of one horn or ⁰⁰arm, and the other at the other. In the instrument shown, the contactor is provided with a handle M from which project the branches M¹ and Μ². Μ³, M⁴ are the copper wires leading from the thermopile to the ⁰⁵galvanometer. M⁵ is the terminal post at the end of the copper wire M³ in the arm M¹. M⁸ is a copper loop secured to the post M⁸and looped through or secured to a loop M⁷of constantan which, in turn, is secured to a Ιθθ terminal post M⁸ of constantan, from which leads the constantan wire M⁹, which, in turn, terminates in the constantan post M¹⁰in the arm M². The copper and constantan elements thus alternate, M¹² and M¹⁴ being 105 constantan connections extending between the constantan terminal posts Μ¹⁵, M¹⁸ in the arm M¹ and the constantan terminal posts Μ¹⁷, M¹⁸ in the arm M². Each constantan post is connected by a constantan loop no to the copper loop of the opposite copper post, and the copper post M²⁰ in the arm M² is connected to the copper wire M⁴, the copper posts and the constantan posts of each arm being thus connected by wires of like metal 115 with the copper and constantan posts respectively of the opposite arm.

Whereas, I have described a thermopile in which copper and constantan are used, obviously any other suitable combination of 120 metals might be employed.

It will be noted that each pair of copper and constantan terminal posts is joined by a pair of hoops or loops of fine wire, the loops being soldered at one end to the terminal or 1²⁵end posts, and the other ends to each other, each loop being of the same metal as the post to which it is secured.

Whereas I have illustrated and described various instruments which may be used in l^s0

1,552,284 3

<img file="US1552284A_D0001.tif" />

<img file="US1552284A_D0002.tif" />

the practice of my process, it will be realized that I do not wish in any way to limit myself to the use of specific apparatus, the apparatus being herein described and shown merely for purposes of illustration.

The. use and operation of my invention are as follows:

Many medical and surgical methods have been evolved for correcting or curing diseased conditions in the body. My process herein described and claimed is not curative but corrective, and has for its purpose to detect or locate such affected points on the body as are evidenced by a change of the temperature of the body at the affected point. The affected point so located may be treated by any preferred means and. processes as seen fitting to the individual in charge of the case. It is known that inflammations of the body, from whatever cause they may arise, generally tend to raise the temperature of the body at the point of inflammation. The fever of a wound, or even a small scratch, if it is at all infected, produces a comparatively large increase in temperature. The difference in temperature between the part of the body immediately adjacent the cut and the unaffected parts of the body is such as to be easily perceptible to the finger tips. Subcutaneous infections give rise to similar local variations of temperature which are, of course, far smaller than those caused by cutaneous infection. Owing to· this, in the practice of my process I find it necessary to employ temperature detecting or observing means of great delicacy, and the means I employ are sensitive to· variations and differences in temperature of a small fraction of a degree.

In the practice of my process I determine or compare the simultaneous or the substantially simultaneous temperature of various points along the spine. In the use of the word “simultaneous” in the present specification and claims I do· not wish to limit myself to· the use of the instrument with the two exposed junctions, since successive temperature observations, if made in close enough succession, are sufficient to indicate the virtually simultaneous temperatures of the points tested.

However, in the practice of my process, I preferably employ a pair of temperature detecting elements secured to a temperature indicating or recording device, and in one very effective arrangement I expose a pair of thermocouple junctions spaced apart upon a hand piece. I connect the two· junctions with a galvanometer, the needle of which deflects toward the junction which is exposed to the higher temperature. In employing this instrument for observing the temperatures along the spine I may apply one junction to a point on one side of the spine and the other junction to· a correspond ing point on the opposite side of the spine. I may thus test all the critical points along the spine., determining all the points or vertebra? adjacent which there is a lateral differentiation of temperature between opposite 70 sides of the body. I may also test points longitudinally spaced along the spine, by turning the instrument so that the long axis of the hand piece is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the spine. Working progres- 75 sively up and down the spine in this manner, the operator can very quickly locate points of abnormal temperature as may be present.

It will be understood that my process may 80 be employed either before or after such adjustment as the case demands has been given. It may be used either for analysis before adjustment, or to test the results of adjustment. Use of the process may be 85 continued until normal conditions are restored. A particularly valuable application of my process is in the location of heated points caused by spinal luxations, by the impingement of vertebra? upon nerve or θθ other intervertebral tissue, the process making it possible to accurately locate the point where the compression upon the nerve occurs. By means of this process the analysis of the spine is made accurate and scien- 95 tific and its use makes it possible for the operator to completely restore the spine to its normal condition and to accurately ascertain when such normal condition has been attained. 100