CUPPING is the application of cups, from which the air has been exhausted, to the skin,.-with the object of causing congestion or excessive fullness of the cutaneous blood vessels; and if it should be thought desirable to withdraw some blood, the skin may be cut or scarified, and the exhausted cups applied over the incisions, to favor its flow.
C. has been a part of surgical practice from the earliest times, and instruments for performing it have been found in use among the least civilized nations. Of old, the cups were either small horns, open at both ends, from which the air was withdrawn by suction at the narrow extremity, or glasses of various shapes, with a small hole in the,bottoth of each. This hole was plugged with wax, the air exhausted by heat, and when the operator wished to remove them, he withdrew the plug, and allowed the air' to enter. The modern cups are of glass, with round or oval mouths, an closed bot toms. Some have small sockets for holding cotton wick in their interior.
The principal improvements have been in the methods of incising the skin. This used to be effected with is common lancet or narrow knife, with a short blade and con vex edge, set in a long elastic handle, which the operator struck rapidly with his finger, so as to drive the blade 26 or 30 times into the skin.
This was so tedious an operation, that a number of similar blades were used at once. These are contained In a box, which has slits pierced in it corresponding to the number of blades; the latter can be caused to emerge at these slits by turning a handle, or more rapidly by setting free a spring, which causes them to revolve suddenly, and in doing so protrude at the slits more or less, according to the will of the operator. The operation thus performed: The sacrificator, glasses, torch, spirits of wine, and a lighted candle are placed ready at hand; the part is sponged with hot water, so as to cause an increased flow of blood into it, then dried with a .warm towel; the torch, previously saturated with the
spirits of wine and lighted, is held for an instant in one of the glasses, which is now chip ped on to the skin. The number of glasses depends on the quantity of blood it is thought desirable to abstract; each one will probably withdraw from three to five ounces. When the skin under the glass has become red and swollen, the eupper removes it, applies the sacrificator, and as rapidly as possible again exhausts the air from the glass, and claps it on again. The blood will now flow into it; and when enough has been taken, the glass is removed, and some lint applied to the wounds. This apparently simple proceeding requires considerable skill, so that C. is practiced as a separate profession in large towns, and the medical boards of the public services require that candidates for their appoint ments should produce a certificate of having received special instruction in the art. The difficulties consist in regulating the depth of the cuts, for should they be either too deep or too shallow, the blood will not flow. If the glasses be completely exhausted of air, their rims hurt the patient, and the blood will not flow, and it has happened that arte ries or large veins have been wounded by ignorant operators.
There are many modifications of the ordinary C. apparatus, but all on the same principle.
Dry C. is simply applying the cups as described, but not wounding the skin. The ancients had a high opinion of this method, as they believed the "noxious humors" were drawn forth of the body into the cups; and it need scarcely be added that extem pore cups may be found in tumblers, finger-glasses, or any air-tight vessel with a smooth rim.