72 Scientific Intelligence. [July, 



as to its medicinal application. Disappointment followed of 

 course, and naturally led to a neglect of* the subject ; and, in 

 fact, for some years, pneumatic medicine has gone into discredit, 

 and public opinion has vibrated to the extreme of incredulity. 

 Partaking in a degree in this feeling, we listened with some 

 reluctance to a very pressing application on this subject during 

 the last summer. A young lady, apparently in the last stages of 

 decline, and supposed to be affected with hydrothorax, was pro- 

 nounced beyond the reach of ordinary medical aid. As she was 

 in a remote town in Connecticut, where no facilities existed 

 towards the attainment of the object, we felt no confidence that, 

 even if oxygen gas were possessed of any efficacy in such cases, 

 it would actually be applied, in this case, in such a manner as to 

 do any good. Yielding, however, to the anxious wishes of 

 friends, we furnished drawings for such an apparatus as might 

 be presumed attainable, and also written and minute directions 

 for preparing, trying, and administering the gas. It was obtained 

 from nitrate of potash (saltpetre), not because it was the best 

 process, but because the substance could be obtained in the 

 place, and because a common fire would serve for its extrication. 

 The gas obtained had, of course, a variable mixture of nitrogen 

 or azote, and probably on an average might not be purer than 

 nearly the reversed proportions of the atmosphere ; that is, 70 to 

 80 per cent, of oxygen to 20 or 30 nitrogen; and it is worthy of 

 observation, whether this circumstance might not have influenced 

 the result. 



Contrary to our expectations, the gas (as we are since informed 

 by good authority) was skilfully prepared and perseveringly used. 

 From the first, the difficulty of breathing and other oppressive 

 affections were relieved : the young lady grew rapidly better, 

 and in a few weeks entirely recovered her health. A respectable 

 physician, conversant with the case, states, in a letter now before 

 us, " that the inhaling of the oxygen gas relieved the difficulty 

 of breathing, increased the operation of diuretics, and has effected 

 her cure. Whether her disease was hydrothorax, or an anasar- 

 cous affection of the lungs, is a matter I believe not settled." 



Should the revival of the experiments on the respiration of 

 oxygen gas appear to be desired, it would not be difficult to sim- 

 plify the apparatus and operations so as to bring them within the 

 reach of an intelligent person, even although ignorant of chemis- 

 try : and this task, should there be occasion, we would cheerfully 

 undertake to perform. 



This interesting class of experiments ought to be resumed, not 

 with the spirit of quackery, or of extravagant expectation, but 

 with the sobriety of philosophical research ; and it is more than 

 probable that the nitrous oxide, which is now little more than a 

 subject of merriment and wonder, if properly diluted and dis- 

 creetly applied, would be productive of valuable effects." 



