New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-03-12
NEnuxhin1 Gasp
10 Ge Fdiror Of The " Y Tri5vae.

10 Gs Fdror Of The " " Tri5uae
SIR: Ii is stated in THE TRIBUNE Of Feb. 90,
tha. there have been three deaths within weeks
from the effects ofugng gas This is strange, In view
of the fact that Sir Humphrey Dayy who gated
the properties OF the gas experimental with and een
breathcd t. pronounced il harmless that for sixty yeas
past tho Professors of Chemistry in colleges have
made and administered it, and pronounced II harmless;
that all works on chemistry pronounce II harm
less that sUch men AZ Prof benjamin Silllmar,
Prof John Torrey, Prof j. w. Draper, Prof
r. OGDEN Doremus and the Ike pronOurco II
harmless Prof Sillman IN his last volume On
chemistry, says; " II may DO breathcd without nju-
~. but ii produces remarkable excitement IN me sys'
tenn amounting TO intoxicaton. and, II carried f1r 10
insensibty" or tho nnRsthetic state. SIR Humphrey
payy in his Researches on Nitrous Oxide" page 2.o
says, In instance. when had hedddchs ion IN
digestion Il was Immediately removed after large
dose OF the gas In second instance. slghter head
ache was wholly removed by two doses OF the gas
"On the DIV when the inflammation was most
troublesome beathed three large doses Of the ntrous
OXIDE The pain always diminished after the first four
or five Inspirations, the thrilling came on as usual and
uncsslness was for few minutes swnowsd up IN plea
"As nitrous oxide In It's extensive operation appears
capable OF destroying physical PAIN IL may probably ne
used with advantage during surgical opera'iohs ..
Here Is a distinct enunonton made sixty nYe years
ago Of the anesthec powers of tins gas ~ Nos Tao
di,coyercr OF anesthesa administered II or more tnan
year-lsiS-in Hartford; for the extraction OF 'se.n,
mr. tuup
of thousands during the asttwenty years. ana ounh ~
borm,es, Daring the past nino months, hundreds OF
dentists In all parts OF the country have used wthonl
Ia iury-and now three deaths are reported aS LAYING
been caused by II Is IL not stranger
In voy OF the above facts, think we must attribute
these three deaths' 10 other cause, rather then
that Of the laughing gas. have taken some pains 90
ascertan tho facts respecting these cases Bat Ist ~t
me quote what The TRBusE says on Friday req. %:
or LAUGHING GAs-hr Sears, elderly gentleman OF tnis
city and Mss Bell Of Swanton Falls, W. yonns es,thy
al budding into wonahood have lately been sent 20 iheir
graves nom the eeeS Of laughing gas Another victim
he matter ia tho grave LADY deceased her nage Ia not
forthcoming she lived ct Allentown, Pennsylvania and
until her replication TO this dentist was general
very healthy This lady applied to Pave laughing
Inhaled the gas few hours placed her In Yer Nc
much longer tho hyes OF The people " Do ued a"syf
Twill notice these cases IN tho or1er Of their octur
renee think we shall see that Mt one Of them die
from the effects of the gas In gard to the leath
Mr.. Sears tie Medical and Surgical Reporter
the highest authority in this c ntry. says" From tn
have little doubt that the some result would have 70
lowed the extraction OF u 9TH il no anesthetio hs
been taken. When perss has slight hold ON III
az this had so nsiy nifcant circumstance III
extraction Of tooth Wa often 80 derango the nervou
and circuatofy systems to occasion the oongestto
which caused the de ath" So far as have been able
learn, the physicH In this city entirey concur In h
opinion THIS ey.eotualy dspcses Of the first CASE an
clears the laugh ing gas.
In regard " the second CASE Miss Bell OF Swantov
Vt. Not Rowing any ono in that town. wrote TO d.
H. Gilmon of st. Albans-first town this sdefor Oh
facts. ~ GilGan answers under date Of Feb 70, y