New-York tribune., 1899-07-24
LIQUID AIR APPLIED TO SURGERY
DR. A. CAMPBELL WHITE EXPECTS 1T WILL
SOLVE MANY PROBLEMS.

DR. A. CAMPBELL WHITE EXPECTS 1T WILL
SOLVE MANY PROBLEMS.
| LIQUID air. although still possessing many mys-
terious properties, is becoming well understood
as an agent in medical and surgical science that
II IS now being used with successful results In a
| recent number OF The Medical Record Dr. A.
Campbell White shows that liquid air possesses
remarkable anRsthetic and specific powers and by
a series OF experiments he proves that its advent
| in medicine and surgery will solve many problems
OF long standing Speaking OF the subject to a
Tribune reporter last evening he said:
Il am confirmed in my belief that liquid
air is a specific for neuralgia sciatca and such
neurotic lesions, by experiments In which nave
used the fluid and tested its results. In one case
of scIatica the patient suffering intense pain
the whole length Of the leg The physician VINO mad
been using the ordinary cauterizing treatment 10
no effect permitted the application OF liquid air
This was done by dipping a swab in the fluid and
touching the nerve at its spinal extremity. In
stantly the pain left the leg Other applications
were made along the TO insure relief, and al
though month has elapsed since the operation
there has been no recurrence of any trouble"
Dr. White showed a culture tube In which a
colony OF the bacteria Of dphtheria had been plant
ed in blood serum. lie then told of an experiment
I'm which these bacli had been put In capillary
tubes with sealed ends and subjected to liquid air
for hour At the end OF the time the germs
appeared lifeless. but being placed In an In
cubator and brought back 10 a normal temperature
they lively as ever.
1T Is impossible to Kill germs by freezing, ne
went On TO say. "brt this experiment reveals
of liquid air which l believe will prove effectual in
many cases OF bacterial diseases. In the normal
body there are germs OF all kinds but their viru-
lenCe is met and overpowered by anttoXins when
the system produces 10 combat them. AT times
however because Of lack OF vitality the antitoxins
cannot compete with their ANTAGONISTS, ana as ID a
consequence "A comes down with typhoid, or
dphtheria, consumption At such times an IN
lection OF foreign antitoxns into the blood OFTEN
will sufficiently reinforce the system ana overcome
the invading bacll. This is the method employed
at present Now the use Of liquid air In such cases
is based the same hypothesis. When the nuld
IS applied the part affected the bacteria are Tor
the time being rendered inactive ana mus give me
antitoxlns of the system an opportunity 10 raly
and repair the breach"
The doctor then showed n photograph taken OF
child upon whose neck a large blood tumor he'd
attained the size Of dollar. Lower on the BODY
was another tumor even more ugly In It's appear
ance. In telling Of the case the doctor SAID:
LIQUID air was applied 10 the tumor on the
chlld's back and the flesh healed rapidly the
and has even grown larger. In consequence OF these
results have great hopes for liquid air in the treat
mcnt OF lesions ana such inaiiihduoHs Vi '''e
When asked IN regard to the OF liquid air as
an an,esthetic Or. Waite told Of an experiment IN
"a bov had received a blank cartridge wound In
the hand ard I'm order 70 perform the operation the
part was frozen by "A spray Of liquid air Too much
was applied and at first the surgeon was no more
able TO cut the flesh than II II had been so much
stone After moments waiting the knife cut In
easily inhictng no pain the foreign particles were
removed and the wound carefully dressed A rev
days later the boy returned. The mana had healeu
nicely and was soon entirely well.
There is no pain in the application ne con
tinued except a slight tingling at the very be-
tissue il returns 20 its normal condition as soon
as the cold Is removed II has not the lneDrlat,,
efRer. and where moisture IS present, the freez
ing never results In morthcatlon-