Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-29


can say positively that medicine has
nothing at its disposal today which will so
quickly, thoroughly and with as little pain
clear up the edges and stimulate the heal
ing of an ulcer as liquid air does when
properly applied. Only one freezing is
reeded to cure an abscess boil or carbun-
Gle In the early stages If the case is more
advanced several daily applications may
be necessary. In all cases pain is instantly
relieved after the liquid air has been spray
ed on the sore, and the healing begins in
stantly and proceeds swiftly"
Is Not n Germicide.
DR.. White has teen making careful inves-
LEGATIONS to explain this powerful curative
action of liquid air. He has come to the
conclusion that the air does not kill the
germs of the various diseases; it is not an
antiseptic, not a germicide Although a
temperature of 100 degrees of heat destroys
all germ life, DR.. White has discovered
from careful experiments in the New York
Department of Health Hospital that even the
cold of liquid air, 312 degrees below zero. will
not injure the germs of typhoid fever. an
thrax and diphtheria. He submitted all OF
these germs, not only directly to the LIQUID
air, but immersed them in the air in glass
tubes. In every case the bacili gernina led
when removed from the effects of the IN
tense cold. DR.. Huddleston tried liquid air
on vaccine virus and found that ii was af-
fected for short exposures no more than the
germs. Prof. Mckendrick has found that
even the seeds OF common plants like Gu
cumberS, wheat, squash and so on will ger
inmate almost as well ever after being
submitted to cold of 300 degrees below
zero. Lord Kelvin in discussing thu origin
OF life ON this planet, once suggested that
the first seeds may have been brought here
through the cold of intersteliar space in n
meteor, although he didn't explain how the
seed could find its way into the meteor in
the first place.
If. then. liquid air Is not i eernicide,
where does it set its curious and wonder
1ul curative Properties?
Help to Nature.
You must remember" explains Dr.
White, that liquid air is over 400 degrees
colder than the human body. BY no other
means than its application could we pro-
duce so sudden and extreme a shock to a
certain part of the body without injury TO
the tissues. 1t takes only a moment to
produce locally the most extreme cold and
but little more than that time for the
part to regain its temperature, thus secur-
ing very great local stimulation. The in
voluntary fbers and the blood vessels are
MADE to contract to the last degree, only to
dilate forcibly on the removal of the spray
Cold also retards the activity of bac-
terra. and this, with the stimulation of the
ordinary curative agencies of the body
brings about Il cure
In other words, liquid air is great helper
TO nature, allowing nature to do her own
work in her own way.
IN tIil5 connection II IS interesting to note
that Russian professor is using the stimu-
latlVe effects Of liquid air in another and
even more novel method than employed ly
Or. White. He reduces the temperature of
a room by the use of liquid air to 100 de-
Srees below zero. In his first experiments
dog was confined under these conditions for
ten hours without injurious effects, and at
the end of the period it was found to be not
only in good health, but prodigiously hun
CRY. The scientist then ventured to try the
experiment on himself. After a full day in
the dry, still, cold atmosphere, ne found
himself exceedingly eXhilarated, and the in
tense combustion required to keep his body
warm resulted in a great desire for food.
He continued these experiments for some
time, and declared himself to be much more
vigorous and robust.
Great Possibilities.
DR.. White thinks that medicine is lust on
the borders of the vast field of usefulness
for liquid air. He thinks it may be used in
the pulmonary diseases, in the reduction of
fever and SO on, although the subject has
as yet received comparatively little atten-
ton. He intimates that in the near future
d pace VII! be arranged, probably in some
hospital or clinic, with all the facilities for
making ana administering liquid ara
liquid air hospital, that physicians can
take their patients to it as they would to a
private hospital and conveniently apply the
treatment.
DR.. G.. Fish Clark of Brooklyn, who also
mas had experience with liquid air and the
treatment of cancer. believes that for the
extlrpation OF malignant growths Of ali
kinds liquid air will eventually supersede
the knife.
The process" he says, lis this: When
the tumor is frozen. the circulation is at
once stopped, and growth ceases When
the tumor is thaWed out there is stag
nation, and nature begins at once to throw
off the dead tissues. Deep down under the
frozen tumor new skin surface is grad
ualiE formed and the tumor daily and al
most imperceptbly shrinks dries and is
finally thrown off as a scab."