Abstract: An apparatus for the application of a treating agent, e.g. paraffin, to the human body for slimming comprises a unit having a first receptacle containing the pure paraffin, a second receptacle for recovering and sterilizing the paraffin, and a third receptacle containing washing water, the unit being adapted to roll along a floor. Each of the receptacles is provided with a heater and the unit has a pump for recycling the liquids and a device for distributing the paraffin emulsion on the body of the subject.

Abstract: An apparatus for reducing obesity in human beings having an inflatable bag to which a flexible tube is attached. The bag is positioned in the stomach, usually by swallowing, and the tube extends up through the esophagus and out of a nasal cavity or out from the abdomen when a gastrostomy is performed. The bag is inflated by attachment of a supply of fluid to the end of the tube, and then the tube is closed so that the bag will maintain its inflated conditon. With a portion of the open cavity of the patient's stomach occupied by the inflated bag, the patient will sense a feeling of being "filled-up" with only a small amount of food intake.

Abstract: A retractor for opening and holding open an incision to allow a surgeon ready access through the incision during an operation or the like. A plurality of substantially opposed flesh engaging blades for engaging the sides of a surgical incision are pivotally mounted on a body which is provided with an aperture for placement over the surgical incision. A trigger is operatively coupled to the plurality of flesh engaging blades to cause the blades to simultaneously diverge from one another to thereby open the surgical incision and to allow the surgeon access into the surgical incision through the aperture in the body.

Abstract: A high loft, low density, nonwoven fibrous material is provided comprising two layers of irregularly arranged, intersecting, overlapping, mechanically interengaged, loosely assembled fibers, one of the layers including thermoplastic synthetic wood pulp fibers at least in the portion thereof at the interface to the other layer, at least some of the thermoplastic synthetic wood pulp fibers in the one layer being in contact with and fused with segments of fibers of said other layer.The material is produced by air-laying the aforementioned layers successively so that some thermoplastic synthetic wood pulp fibers in one layer are in contact with some fibers in the other layer, and then applying heat without pressure to fuse and bond at least some of the thermoplastic synthetic wood pulp fibers in one layer to fibers in the other layer.