The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-23
OXYGEN GAS AND ETHER
4 VALUABLE DIsCOTERF BIZ FOR
MER RICHHONDER
The Value Of Oxygen Gas, in Combination
with Ether, for Medical Purposes
May BE Very Great.

The February Number of the New York
Dietetic and Hygiene Gazette has this 70
say concerning the valuable discovery
Lately made by former well-knoWn klch-
mond man. Mr.. J, Preston carson VINO
has faauy relatives and friends IN TINS
city:
That the advance Of surgery as an eN-
act science, during the last halt century,
has been much more rapid than that OF
general medicine Is well-nigh universally
conceded. and is due Largely TO the dis
cOvery of anaesthesia This rapid pro-
gress has been made at the expense or
many human lives, and in "A majority OF
cases the fatal termination TO an other
wise brilliant success has been due 10
the fact that the method Of producing
narcOsis proved such a drain upon the
endurance Of the patient that insufficient
vitality remained 20 Withstand the shock
OF the operation. To overcome this stum-
bling block should be ana rs the aim anu
desire OF our leading surgeons
\ number Of articles have recently APP
peared In some of our Leading contempt
raries calling attention 10 the discovery
made by Mr.. J. Preston Carson. an ana
lytical chemist of this city Of the value
OF oxygen gas in combination with ether.
andl which seems 10 have already accom-
plished much IN this direction. Hitherto
the use Of this gas has been almost wholly
confined 10 the field of therapeutics. hay
ing been emp. Dyed successfully in phthlsis
pneumonia, diphtheria, and many other
affections of the respiratory organs, IN
capillary and catarrhal bronchitis. Group.
asthma. and pulmonary congestion-in
fact wherever there IS diminished sur
face for blood aeration, oxygen relieves
the cyanOsis Marked beneficial results
are recorded where oxygen has been used
in Brights disease scarlet FEVER chronic
nephritis, asphyNia, cardiac weakness,
etc, etc, but up TO recent date It's use
IN surgery has been as an emergency
agent.
Mr.. Carson has been familiar with the
properties OF oxygen. and acquainted with
its various therapeutic uses and &c occur
red TO him that this agent, used in con-
nectiOn with ether, would prove Valua-
bic in sustaining the patient, without in
terfering with the anaesthesia. He
brought the matter 20 the attention OF
several Of our prominent surgeons, and
In the leading article of the New York
Medical Record October l.. $500. a full
description Of the method. made by Mr..
j. Preston Carson an analytical chemist
Of this city, IS given. together with re-
ports OF the number OF cases in which
the combination of pure oxygen with the
Yapor of ether not only facilitated the
anaesthetzatiOn, but largely removed the
disagreeable and dangerous effects or the
anaesthetic and served 10 keep the pa
tent in a normal condition throughout
the operation. the presence Of oxygen
keeping the blood thoroughly oxygenated.
and thereby preventing cyauOsis or any
Ing narcosis The first test OF the oxygen
ether anaesthesia was made at St. Lukc's
Hospital New York. and this was quick
~ followed. not only by others there. but
by surgeons i'm the POst-Graduate. Poly
clinic, and New York Cancer Hospitals,
in St Elizabeths. St Marks the WO-
mans, Bellevue. the Flower fhom0e0path-
ic). the Ruptured and Crippled. the New
York, the Columbus. and others in tins
cityh In private practice as well AZ the OK
ygen-ether method has received the stamp
of approval and endorsement of the most
eminent surgeons. After a number OF
operations ia which this method was
used. ana fun diagnosis OF The various pa
tients given Dr +. H. MarkOe. attend
ing surgeon Of Bellevue and 81. Iuke's
hospitals. summarizes the results OF his
observations as follows. Il An absence
of the so-called stage of excitement. q
No cyanOsis nor respiratory disturbances
during anaesthesia. 3. 4 tendency 10
regain consciousness more quickly when
etheriZation Is discontinued than after us
ual methods. f. No nausea or vomiting
subsequent 10 etherization. .. The
amount OF ether consumed 10 be cOnsid-
erablY less than formerly" Med Rec
ord, October II. $500 In the same pa
per Or. G. $. Cole, Instructor in Sur
gerry New York Post-GraGuate Hispital.
likewise cites number Of cases In which
he has used the oxygen-ether comblna-
tion. and states: The amount OF gas
foXygen), used has probably averaged
about a gallon a minute. For an adult
the ether consumed Is about six ounces
an hour and half this quantity Tor a
enid. In case of one child less than
three ounces Of ether Was used for over
an hours etherizatiOn. case IX) I'm
case OF one man less than seven ounces
Tor an hour and a halls etheriazation.
The longest time 10 produce complete an
aesthesia In any OF my own eases has
Deen nfteen minutes; the shortest "A iittle
less than three minutes. The time OF re-
covery from fifteen 10 fifty minutes. Sail
walton that necessitated the cleansing out
OF the pharynx has occurred In only one
case. Vomiting has not beer serious or
troublesome In any case, and In q large
majority not even nausea has attended
etheriZatiOn or recovery The effect Of
reducing tho flow Of oxygen has been 80
increase the rapidly Of the hearts action.
and vice versa The color has been uni
fofmly excellent. and not In "A single in-
stance has any 'bluing been observed. Ia
case where the temperature has been
taken no change has been noted. The
largest amount OF ether used I'm any one
case has been eight ounces. the small
est less than three ounces for an hours
ent after etherization has been greatly
moderated in every instance. ana the feel
Ing OF suffocai Ton less marked. The at
nosphere 81 the opersiing-roori' has re-
manned almost Tree from the odor OF
ether"
The experiences with fhis method here
given have been followed by expressions
OF such high commentator In other
journals, that II would seem that oxygen
Is destined to play an important part
IN tia most progressive ArAnnA Of nsai-