The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-11-12

stroy the infatuation that the inhala
tion OF nitrous oxide gas is a harmless
process; q process which any man
educated or not educated, may carry on
without danger Of destroying life. The
recent death which occurred at Exeter,
on the afternoon Of January 22nd, Of
, this year, furnishes a lesson not to be
forgotten. The gas was administered
by DR.. F. f. Mason, for the purpose Of
the painless extraction of a large upper
molar tooth. The lady, Miss Wynd-
ham, was about 38 years Of age, in good
health. Her physician, DR.. Pattison,
was present. Gas from the same
source had been administered to other
patients, SO that it's quality could not
be impugned. She took the gas in the
usual way, without any symptoms to
excite uneasiness. At the proper
degree of insensibility the gas was
stopped and the tooth extracted. 1t
was not until after the operation was
completed that anything unusual hap
pened. Her face suddenly became
livid and the features began to swell,
and she seemed to be quite unconscious.
She breathed two or three times and in
a few moments her pulse ceased to
beat. All attempts to restore her were
fruitless. There was no obstruction
to the air passages, and the tongue was
protruded while she still respired.
From no agent has there been so
many hair breadth escapes from death
as from gas, and probably of late some
persons every day have been brought
within the minutest line of danger to
which Miss Windham succumbed.'
We learn the most important lesson
that we have a great deal to learn be-
fore we shall have perfected anaesthe-
tic agents. Towards such learning the
reintrOductiOn of NITROUS oxide gas has
been a serious check. NITROUS oxide
gas is not true anesthetic at all. A
true anasthetic is an agent that sus-
ponds common sensibility without, by
any necessity, interfering with those
organic processes on the continuance of
which life depends. Nitrous oxide gas
acts by suspending one of the most i'm
portant organic processes, that of
respiration. The insensibility pro-
duced by this gas is afforded during an
interval of partial death. This inter-
val, doubtful, transient, dangerous,
may allow less time for short opera
tion, and suspending the inhalation the
function may return, but that it may
never return the above case furnishes
a lamentable proof.
mo intelligent observer, who ever
witnessed the CHASTITY: cyanosed ap-
pearance of persons who have inhaled
this gas until its an@sthetic effects are
produced, will deny that the ensemble
OF symptoms betokens a powerful in
tuence upon the blood mass which con-
tinues for many hours and days. I
have seen some cases where the inhala-
ton of this gas was followed by pull
monary, and cardiac diseases and
death. The profession at large may
yet learn to modify it's opinion regard
ing it's freedom from danger after it's
application" !
You may remind me that in dental
institution, in New York, we are
shown a gigantic roll, containing the
names of many thousand who have in
hailed this gas there, so far without anv
direct fatal effect. But how is it with
after effects9 The institution referred
to keeps no record of it's patients AFTER
wards. One of my fatal cases-dying
| from after effects-had inhaled the gas
there three or four months previous.
She was perfectly healthy woman be-
tore the Inhalation, and her disease be-
gan right after it. Other we'll anthem
ticated cases are not wanting to prove,
that nervous disorders of many kinds
and train of organic diseases follow
it's exhibition. DR.. Frank Hamilton.
OF New York, attended a case of in
durable epilepsy, directly produced by
the Inhalation of this gas. DR.. F. r
Thomas, in his treatise on nitrous
oxide gas, says: 1T resembles
strongly in its effect an attack of con-
gestlve apoplexy. Many are deprived
OF sleep long afterwards, and complain
OF unremitting headaches; nor are in
stances rare where, after use, vertigo,
syncope, melancholy, insomnia, convul-
slons, hysteria and irregular hearts
action, could be attributed directly to
its use. "-The Dental d Surgical MScYo-