Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-07
Mss NrcoLs0Ms oAsE.
uvtr Theusasd Gallons Of Oxsren Pampea
late Her Iuurs- ciess In the Blood.

ustr . Theusasd Gsllons Of 0xsren Pampsd
Hate Her Luurs-ciess In the Blood.
New york Tribune.l
Rachel Nicolson, the young woman
who was nearly sufocatcd by gas inner
room at the Hotel Abbottsford on Sat-
urdsy and was taken to the New York
Hospital, had not recovered conscious
ness last evening. The attending ply
stefan remained constantly with her
Saturday night. When she was taken
to the hospital her pulse was SO rapid
that il could not be counted and her
respiration was quick and hard. There
was an intense cerebral congestion and to
afford relief quantity Of blood was
taken from her body. The carburetted
hydrogen in the gas that she had breathed
formed union with the iron in the
blood and made it thick and clotted, so
that it resisted the purifying action Of
the air as it passed into the lungs. In
order to reduce the clots it became
necessary to get an increased quantity
Of oxygen into the lungs. This was
done by passing . small rubber tube
through the nose and down into the
throat. and steady stream of oxygen
was pumped into the lungs from large
bladder for many hours before there
was any improvement in the symptoms.
The body was in an intense state Of
fever and nurse was kept busy all
the time rubbing it with alcohol.
At times violent spasmodic contrac-
tons would appear in the throat and
the muscles would become fixed and
unyielding, as in cases of lockjaw.
These spasms interfered greatly with
the patients breathing, and instruments
were kept close at hand all the time
with which to open the windpipe exter-
nally, to render breathing possible in.
dependent Of the upper part Of the
throat. The spasms, however, were
broken before it came necessary to re-
sort to this operation. The pumping
of oxygen into the lungs slowly re-
duced the quantity of hydrogen in the
blood and yesterday morning the fever
had been greatly reduced and the flick
ering pulse registered lac beats min
ute. the patients temperature was
high, but was slowly coming down, and
the respiration had reached nearly a
normal state. AS the blood of the
patient became thinner it became neces-
sary to reduce the amount of oxygen
given in certain time. The small tube
was taken out of the nose and a large
bag, which received the oxygen directly
from the machine in which it was gen.
Grated, was held close to her face so
that it would be diluted by the at
mosphere before it entered the lungs.
1t was estimated last evening that over
one thousand gallons Of oxygen had
been administered. 1t was decided to
continue the use Of oxygen until con-
sciouEness returned. This, it was ex-
pected, would occur in about twelve
hours, which would make the period Of
unconsciouspess about fifty hours, or
about thirty.fve hours longer than is
usual in cases of asphyxia from gas.
Though the patient is yet in a critical
condition, the symptoms are all favor
able and it is believed by the attend
ing physician that she will recover.
The Rev. Andrew Gray, who was to
have married Miss Nicolson on Satur-
day, called at the hospital yesterday
and anxiously watched the efforts of the
physicians to bring her back to life.
He is hopeful of her recovery.