Evening journal., 1899-11-18
LIQUID AIR
Expected to solve Many Problems In
Surgery.

Liquid air. although still possessing
many mysterious properties, Is becom-
Ing so well understood as an agent In
the medical and surgical science that 1t
Is now being used with successful re-
suits, says the New York Tribune. DR..
A. Campbell White shows that liquid
air possesses remarkable anaesthetic
and specific powers. and by series OF
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 a 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. At
the end OF the time the germs appeared
lifeless, but on being placed in an in
cubator and brought back to normal
temperature they were as lively as
ever.
1T is impossible to kill germs by
freezing" he went on to say. "but this
experiment reveals a use of liquid air
which believe viii prove effectual in
many cases OF bacterial diseases
The doctor then showed a photograph
taken OF child upon whose neck a
large blood tumor had attained the size
Of a dollar. Lower on the body was
another tumor even more ugly in Its
appearance. In telling OF the case the
doctor said:
Liquid air was applied to the tumoI
on the child's back and the flesh healed
rapidly. The other excrescence was
] treated by ordinary methods and has
4 even grown larger. In consequence OF
these results 1 have great hopes fol
I liquid air in the treatment of LESSONS
and such infammations of the skin"
When asked in regard to the use oil
liquid air as an anaesthetic. DR.. White
told Of an experiment in which It was
employed.
"A boy had received a blank cartridge
wound in the hand and in order to per.
form the operation the part was frozer
by a spray of liquid air. Too much wal
applied. and at first the surgeon was M
more able to cut the flesh than If i
had been so much stone. After a mo
ments waiting the knife cut in easily
infiicting 70 pain, the foreign particles
were removed, and the wound carefully
dressed. A few days later the boy re
turned The hand had healed NIGEL!
d and was soon entirely we'll
There is no pain in the application,
. he continued, except a slight tinglinI
at the very beginning. II the part frozei
is surrounded by healthy tissue it re
turns to its normal condition as sooi
, as the cold is removed"