The age-herald., 1898-06-22
The Latest consumptlye Cure.

,,-When one remembers the alarming sta- tisties furnished by medical men regarding the prevalence of consumption in all parts of the civilied world-for 1t appears to be largely disease of efvilization-it Is no marvel that humanity should be so con- cerned about every fresh announcement that cure for this dread affiiction has been discovered by some Investigating physi- clan. The latest claimant of the distinc- tion of having learned how to treat suc- cessfully and to effect a permanent cure of tuberculosis is Dr. John B. Murphy of Chicago, who recently before the meeting of the American medical association at Denver made public his wonderful discov- cry.
 The remedy is so simple and the treat Q ment so harmless and painless that the notable physicians who heard Dr. Murphy describe his "cure" were evidently seri- ously impressed with its virtueszand its possibilities.
 Doctors in different parts of the country have patients undergoing pr. Murphy s treatment, and without either envy. or jeal- ousy these men are apparently anxious to demonstrate by practical illustrations that there is an assured hope of permanent relief to their fellow creatures who are suffering from lung troubles.
 Dr. Murphys theory is, as newspaper readers know, that diseased lungs will nat uraly heal just as any other infiamed sur face if perfect rest is given them. This, of course, has been deemed an impossibil- ity until Dr. Murphy proclaimed that he could deprive the lungs temporarily of their functional activity, which would afford an opportunity for the wasted tissues to be restored.
 After three years of unremitting investi- gation Dr. Murphy gives to the anxious world the results obtained by his labors. The following description of this method will be interesting to all classes of persons, lay and professional, owing to the fact that the majority of the human race die of con- sumption in some form.
 Dr. Murphy's discovery may suffer the fate of other previous, much h-written-about "cures,' but as he is a practitioner of. high repute in Chicago it will naturally be of profound concern to the world until 1t is proven an absolute failure.
 An exchange says:
 The details of the new treatment, the manner of injecting nitrogen gas into the pleural cavity, is a very simple operation, but one which requires much skill and is safe only in the hands of an expert sur geon. It is even then more or less dan gerous undertaking, but in the treatment of consumption a bold method is the only one that can accomplish the desired results.
 The nitrogen placed in an ordinary gas bag, passes through a tube to a reservoir holding an antiseptic fluid. It passes then through another tube, at the end of which is a siX-inch hypodermic needle. The nee dle is pushed through the skin and flesh until 1t penetrates the outert layer of the pleura on the lower side. The gas is then turned on, filling the cavity and pressing the lung into smaller and smaller space un- til all the air cells are empty and the lung closed. When the needle is withdrawn the tissues immediately close, confining the ni- trogen in the peural cavity.
 Such an operation takes scarcely more than ten minutes, and the amount of gas used is generally about 200 to 800 cubic centimeters, or about one quart.
 "When the treatment is given" says pr. Murphy, "there is sensation of short breathedness for a few moments in some cases, which immediately disappears, and in every case is followed by relief, per- haps the first time in years. This is par ticuarly noticeable in the absence of the tickling sensation which causes the patient to cough, and the cough disappears imme- diately. The patient is in no way affected, is not required to take to his bed, and can continue his usual business without incon- venience. At the end of few weeks the nitrogen is withdrawn and air admitted, and the lung expands to its usual dimen- sions If it again returns put in more ni- trogen and give the lung another long rest, which will surely cure it.'