Evening journal., 1897-01-18
OXYGEN AS A HEALER.
a Record Of severni Valuable English Ex-
perimonts.

perimonts.
During the Zulu war DIR. George |
stoker, who served during the campaign |
as an army surgeon, had an opportunity
Of observing the method in which the
natives treated their wounded comrades.
He noticed that they carried them to the
highest point attainable, and there ex-
posed the wounds TO the purest air and
the action Of pure water. This simple
remedy was swift and sure. the worst
cases yielding rapidly under its infiu
ence, doubtless the healthy state Of the
blood and the abstemious lives led by
the natives having a good deal to dc
with the matter DR.. Stoker was led &c
believe that the oxygen cure might be
applied to ulcers, burns and wounds of
similar nature, and on his return &c
this country he made several expert
ments on such cases, and the more he
saw of it the firmer was his belief in his
discovery. Bacteria consist of two kinds
- the harmful micro-organisms and
those necessary TO the system. in order
that the mechanism of the body may be
carried on satisfactorily. Before the dis.
covory of antisepho surgery the risk
which was run wherever raw surface
was exposed 10 the air was enormous,
hut with the introduction Of antiseptics
into the treatment the danger was re-
duced TO minimum. Iodoform has al
ways been the special medium for use
in the case Of ulcers, and it is not
pleasant one, but it tended to hold the
bacteria at bay. Now, however, it has
been noticed that in cases where oxygen
has been applied and where the wound
| is healing the progress was marked by
the presence of common organisms AND
that If relapse occurred the bacteria
/ disappeared, so that one is led 10 the
conclusion that a certain number of
these living organisms are necessary IN
the formation of new and healthy flesh.
II was decided 10 entcr upon a wider
! field Cf operations and test this expert.
ment further-for il must be borne in
mind that as yet it is only an expert.
ment-and accordingly q committee OF
ladies and gentlemen, under the presi.
dency Of Baroness Burdett- Coutts, un.
dertOok to establish a hospital at 80 ST..
Georges square, S. w. The hospital is
small, but if funds were forthcoming q
larger house could be secured. The oyy.
gen used is said 10 be first generated IN
an iron funnel. and thence IL is pumped
into india rubber bags, according to the
strength required. The part affected is
then inclosed in a wooden bcx with o
glass lid and cased round with oiiskin.
A tube communicates with the box and
the bag and in this way the oxygen Is
introduced into the box Other appa.
ratuses are contrived for the back, head
and other parts of the body. The FIRST
effect is the cessation Of pain, and the
healing properties are quickly discerned,
One case Of an ulcer of 40 years stand
ing had yielded to the treatment il
three weeks, another Of is years in an
equally short time, and many others
had a similar tale TO toll Not one o.
the least Of the virtues of the oxygen il
its dcodorizing power. 1t has also beer
tried on cases of badness, with the re
suit that the hair grew rapidly and in {
short time was in normal condition
To what length the curative pIoporte
Of oxygen may be carried remains 10 b.
proved, but it has at least one adyan
tage, that of extreme economy, for, be
yond the cost Of the oxygen, which, i
is said, comes TO about ? - pence for q
hours, there is 10 expense for dressing
or medicines. British Sanitary Record