Acupuncture as a modern medical science phenomenon enjoys considerable favor recently in the western world, although the science of acupuncture is of ancient Chinese origin. In my U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,654, issued Aug. 7, 1973, and entitled "Physiotherapeutic Devices and Methods", it is brought out that in accordance with acupuncture teaching, the function of the internal organs of the body can be augmented by external stimulation of various anatomical parts in certain points, the so-called "associate effect points" located along the so-called bladder meridians. Stimulation of the spine provides beneficial effects on the kidneys and the like. Additional stimulation of other points on the same meridian provide beneficial effects on the working of other organs, including pericardium, heart, diaphragm, gall bladder, peritoneum, etc. Stimulation may be had on the soles of the feet, the muscles of the calves and various other parts of the human body.
In that patent, a roller of substantially circular cross section having a length substantially equal to the width of the back of an average human and having two rounded projections which are spaced apart by a distance such that when the roller is in contact with the back, the projections are located on opposite sides of the spine, is employed for highly beneficial stimulation of the acupuncture bladder meridians.
It has been further determined that a plant substance under the name Moxa and bearing the botanical name Artemesia Vulgaris, when burned, gives off a smoke which may be employed to fumigate and warm the skin's surface to produce therapeutic effects for the complete body and may be particularly employed to stimulate acupuncture points.
It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved low cost moxa burner for burning a roll of moxa and for permitting the smoke and heat resulting from such burning to be employed in concentrated surface application to a limited portion of the human body, in particular in the vicinity of an acupuncture point.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a moxa burner applicator board supporting a plurality of moxa burners for contact with the human body and to permit the board suspended moxa burners suspended to contact the human body at vertically adjustable positions for application of moxa burner smoke along multiple acupuncture meridian lines to each side of the spine of an acupuncture patient.