Untitled record

Application filed July 30, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom zb may concern:

Be it known that I, Anna I. Fenne, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, 5 have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bed-Gowns, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact-description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this speciio fication.

My invention relates to bed gowns or shirts, which are particularly adapted for invalids or persons confined to bed.

The object of my invention is to provide a 15 garment for the sick, adapted to be opened in such a manner as to be readily placed about the patient, and adapted when closed to resemble an ordinary gown or shirt, said garment being of such construction as to be readily opened 20 for the convenience of the nurse or physician in the operation of placing poultices, making examinations with the stethoscope, &c.

My invention consists in novel constructions and combinations of parts, as hereinafter de25 scribed and claimed.

The accompanying drawing is illustrative of my invention.

The back of the garment B is cut in a single piece, and provided with flaps A'and B', which 30 come up on the shoulders and form a portion of the bosom of the garment. The neck is cut out and the collar set on in the ordinary manner, a central opening being formed down the front, and means provided for closing said 35 opening. The remainder of the front of the garment is formed of two pieces, A² A³, which are secured by seams to the back B at each side thereof, the flaps or bosom pieces A' B' being joined to said pieces A² A³ in such 40 manner that they may be readily opened when desired. Each of the sleeves B² and B³ is made of a single piece provided with a suitable wristband, and fastened by buttons or otherwise along its entire length in front. These 45 sleeves are attached to the body of the garment, so that the longitudinal opening in the front of said sleeves joins the opening between the respective flaps or bosom-pieces A'B'and the front pieces, A² A³. The front pieces, A² A³, 50 are adapted to be readily joined together by buttons or otherwise in the center of the front, thus forming a continuation of the central opening between the flaps or bosom-pieces A' B'. These flaps or bosom-pieces A' B' are cut pointed, as shown, so that the openings be- 55 tween said flaps and the respective front pieces, A² A³, extend low down on the bosom of the garment. I have thus a central opening down the front of the garment, and an opening extending longitudinally up each of the sleeves, 60 and thence across the bosom to the point where it joins the central opening low down on the bosom. These openings may be closed by buttons, hooks and eyes, lacings, or by any other suitable means. I prefer, however, 65 to use buttons e, adapted to be buttoned into the flies, attached to the edges of the flaps and sleeves. These flies contain the button-holes, as shown, at the edges of the flap or bosompiece B', and sleeve B³, and at d d. These 70 flies are sewed to the garment a short distance back from the edge, thus leaving an overhanging lap, which completely covers the opening and buttons when the opening is closed.

In placing the garment upon the patient 75 said patient is turned gently upon his side. One half of the garment is then folded lengthwise and laid under and against the back of the patient, the other half being spread out upon the bed. The patient is then gently 80 turned back upon the garment, and the folded half thereof is drawn from under the body of the patient. The sleeves and the other portions of the garment are then brought up over the body and buttoned. The garment is thus 85 readily placed upon the patient without causing fatigue or the exertion involved when the sleeves are of the usual form. A fractured or injured arm may be readily uncovered and dressed, after which the sleeve may be again 90 adjusted without disturbing the patient.

The flaps or bosom-pieces A! B' may at any time be opened and raised for the purpose of making examinations of the chest, or for placing poultices thereon, without exposing any 95 other portion of the body. This is also.of great utility in case of a nursing-mother.

If desired, a central opening may be made in the back B, beginning at the bot tom of the garment·, and extending up to within a few 100 inches of the neck. This construction would be desirable for very sick patients who could

302,901 not be moved at all. In this case the garment would be drawn down from the top and gradually worked in under the patient from the side, the only lifting necessary being a slight 5 lifting of the head to pass the collar under the neck. This opening in the back would preferably remain open, the edges thereof being simply bound with a flat tape.

It will be seen that a garment constructed io as above described has no seams or gathers on the shoulders or back, or at any point on which the weight of the patient is likely to rest. Such seams in ordinary gowns or shirts are frequently the cause of bed-sores. The 15 buttons are also, for a similar reason, so placed that they cannot get under the patient, or under the arms. The arrangement of the openings as described is very useful to the nurse and physician, and facilitates the operations 20 incidental to doctoring and nursing.