The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-14
Il NADIA VERY.
Compressed Air as IA Means to Assist ths
Action of Drugs.

Compressed Air IA Means to Assist the
Action of Drugs.
1t is now some fifty years since physicians
first began to study the effects OF compressed
air on the human body. At the beginning Of
their experiments notice was only drawn to
tho deleterous influences OF great atm spheric
pressure on men who were forced to work in
1t. but in tho last two or three years. 80 alert
Is medicine to appropriate to its own use the
discoveries OF physics and chemistry. that it
has been ascertained that compressed air may
give offectua aid to drugs Tho credit OF this
discovery belongs to DIR. j. Leonard Corning.
nm eminent nervous disease specialist of New
. York. and the way In which no arrived ut his
remarkable conclusion Is somewhat extraor-
binary.
The affection known to physicians as caisson
disease has boon familiar for many years. It
is n terrible malady that aflilcts those working
under peculiar atmos pheric conditions. After
leaving tho high pressure the victim Is seized
with pains in the joints and often paralysis
Of the legs and lower trunk. and tho illness is
sometimes fatal. as in the regrettable case OF
John A. Roebling, the engineer OF tho Brook
lyn Bridge. For long tme tho treatment OF
this disease bafIled physicians completely.
during their work in tho heavy atmosphere;
lieved. SO effective is this trentment that in
small air lock is. Provided. 'i whero n' vic:
til tins seized with this complaint are placed
So TssevfF p aSst S'Ht0n sms
in Connection with the Brooklyn Bridge works.
but none was over built The doctors agree
the atmospheric density u seizure never oc-
ours. but the laborers are in SO great hurry
locks regardless of cons uence.
Before tho special lock for caisson disease
The victims were carried to st. Frnntiss Hos
pital In Jersey City. where DR.. Corning was
consutant In nervous diseases. He became
the tunnel to carefully observe the men Mt
work and to account for the presence OF the
Two or three curious features about the gem
ernl work in the tunnel attracted his attention.
strong there. They could f lit t' Weights and
sHn up IN aI S dS%n dddors in 10 P IGst
after, short squirt in the area OF tho great
aerial e3 EN- ST. These men he learned
fore starting work. amt he concluded that in
the atmosphsric conditions tho whiskcy had
Tor men who would drink SIN or eight glasses
in the saloon. and never show it. became roar
Ds drunk sa on ha IN the nsons oy As be-
haved as, though they owned the. place:
20; 30 the Doctor began to experiment. lie tried
had a similar effect For this part of his in
NostlGations DR.. Corning found it easy to get
patients. 1t was plain. therefore. that stimu-
lants had greater effect in compressed air than
IN the ordinary atmosphere. lir. Corning then
had a small lock built in his house and tried his
experiments there. In an article in the
.lled"dt Htrurt, u year or SO a-u. no published
the scientific results OF his experiments. and
won the applause of the profession. Tho new
departure works like this: Tho air lock is n
huge iron boiler about six feet high aud six in
diameter. !rnpod with linen curtains inside
and lifted with Il couch. An electric lamp and
two windows of inch thick glass give light.
An electric fan makes it cool for summer.
The air Is pumped in with an electric air
pump. and a safety v;,lva resuintc,Htrom the
outside gives perfect ventilation. fresh air be-
ing pumped in constantly to retain tho press
ura. The patient drinks his dose and goes
into the lock and the door is Theoretically
sealed. and the air turned on After the de-
sired pressure IL shown on the indicator tho
air keeps u steady current from the air pump
through the ventIia'or. Tho patient can road.
write. or play solitaire. AS ho chooses, un-
I'll his Imprisonment be over.
Tho great effect OF this Hir-lock treatm ont is
that II very small quantity OF madeline NAV
produce n very great temporary effect. and
the usefulness OF sucn drugs as antipyrin.
phenacetin. and tho bromido~ can be had with
out giving sufficient quantities to affect the
heart. so iGr. the experiments have been
confined to slim ulantS. scdatives. and anal
rescs medicines to illay PAIN. but no doubt
in tho near future similar physical! conditions
may become as familiar aids to medicine as
electricity, rest, and exercise,