Evening journal., 1899-11-27
LIQUID AIR.
Expected 90 solve Many Problems in
Surgery.

Surgery. II
Liquid air. although still possessing
many mysterious properties, Is becom-
lug so we'll understood as an agent in
the medical and surgical science that IL
is now being used with successful re.
suits. says the New York Tribune. DR.
A. Campbell White shows that liquid
air possesses remarkable anaestheticI
and specific powers. and by series
experiments he proves that its advent
in medicine and surgery will solve
many problems Of long standing
Speaking Of the subject, he said:
II am confirmed in my belief that
liquid air is a specific for neuralgia
sciatica and such neurotic LESSONS, by
experiments in which / have used the
fluid and tested its results. In one
case of sciatica the patient was suffer-
ing intense pain the whole length of the
leg. The physician, who had been US
ing the ordinary cauterizing treatment
TO 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. Instantly
the pain left the leg. Other applica-
tions were made along the nerve to
insure relief, and although 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 diph-
iberia had been planted in blood Sc
rum. He then told of an experiment
in which these bacilli had been put In
capoillary tubes with sealed ends and
subjected to liquid air for an hour. Al
the end of the time the germs appeared
lifeless, but on being placed in an in
cubator and brought back to a normal
temperature they were as lively as
ever.
"It is impossible to kill germs by
freezing" he went on to say, ''but this
experiment reveals a use of liquid all
which believe will prove effectual il
many cases of bacterial diseases"
The doctor then showed a photograph
taken of a child upon whose neck 8
large blood tumor had attained the SIT
of a dollar. Lower on the body wal
another tumor even more ugly in ia
appearance. In telling of the case thu
doctor said:
Liquid air was applied to the tumo
on the child's back and the flesh heale'
rapidly. The other excrescence wa
treated by ordinary methods and ha
even grown larger. In consequence o
these results / have great hopes 70
liquid air in the treatment of lesion
and such infammations of the skin"
When asked in regard to the use o
liquid air as an anaesthe.ic, DR.. Whit
told of an experiment in which 1t wa
employed.
"a boy had received a blank cartridg
wound in the hand and in order to per
form the operation the part was froze
by q spray of liquid air. Too much wa
applied, and at first the surgeon was n
more able to cut the flesh than If
had been so much stone. After a nc
ment's waiting the knife cut in easil1
infiicting no pain, the foreign particle
were removed, and the wound CAREFUL
! dressed. A few days later the boy re
/ turned. The hand had healed NIGEL
and was soon entirely we'll.
"There is no pain in the application,
he continued, except a slight tinglin
| at the very beginning. If the part frOze
is surrounded by healthy tissue it II
turns TO its normal condition as 500
as the cold is removed"