The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-06-15
CURING CONSUMPTION.
Another discovery" Announced for the
Scourge.
New York Sum-

NEW YORK sum-
Denver, COL, June 9.-The feature of
the American Medical Associations con-
vention thus far Is an address delivered
this morning by DR.. j. B. Murphy of
Chicago on "The Surgery Of the Lungs"
in which he described some successful
experiments with bis methods of treat
ment. The discovery was made public
for the first time today, and its annouce-
ment was received with the greatest en-
thusiasm from the assembled physicians.
Briefly" said DR.. Murphy, "tubercu
losis Of the lungs, it left to itself, has a
tendency to cure itself. In over 10 per
cent. of deaths, from all causes post
mortem examination will show sponta-
neously cured tuberculosis, which, in the
majority of cases, was unsupported dur
ing life. The effect of climatic changes
is not to cure, but to give the tissues an
opportunity of rebuilding themselves.
1t has been found by experiment by my
self and others that the reason that a
person is enabled to live and breathe with
large portion of the lung tissue gone is
that the capability of the lung is fully
ten times as great as the actual working
surface. That is, there is nine times as
much tissue in reserve as there is in &C
tual use, and if portion of the lung is
removed the remainder will expand and
fill the pleural cavity, thus giving as
much working surface as before. This
have demonstrated, first by experiments
on dogs and afterward on humans
1.-THE sore spots in the cavities and on
the tissues of the lungs, while in con-
slant motion as in breathing, are pre-
vented from healing just as any sore II
constantly irritated, will remain open.
A sore on any part of the body would not
heal if it were being constantly pulled
apart. The tendency of the tubercular
sore is to heal, and if left alone 1t will
heal "The way to do this is by with
drawing the air. That the air can be with
drawn with safety is demonstrated patho-
logically in the treatment OF pleur1sy and
other diseases in which air and du1d have
been drawn off. The very best way to get
this effect is by COMPRISING the lung
or placing pressure upon it. There are
two ways of doing this. One is by re-
moving the ribs and allowing the chest
to collapse. The pressure of the side will
prevent air fram entering and prevent
the spread of the disease. A far better
way, and one which 1 adopted after
much experiments the introduction into
the cavity of gas. The best gas for the
purpose is pure nitrogen, for, unlike air
and oxygen, it has no effect on the tissues
and will not be absorbed. Air might
remain in the cavity for week, or even
longer and then would find its way out
by being absorbed, but the lung needs a
longer rest than this, and nitrogen find
to be perfectly adapted to the purpose.
II have been working on this subject
for three years but during the past yeal
1 have experimental practically with this
method. have tried it in five cases OF
advanced tuberculosis with unqualified
success AS q result, l can say with
safety that, unless the lung is entirely
| gone, a permanent cure can be effected
The action of the nitrogen congresses
| the lung and gives it an entire rest. The
nodule of the tuberculosis becomes cica