The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-02-23
LIQUID AIR.
Expected to Solve Many Problems In
Surgery.

surgery
Lisuid air, although still possessing
many mysterious properties, is becom'
ing so well understood as an agent II
the medical and surgical science that II
is now being used with successful re-
suits, says the New York Tribune. Dr.
A. Campbell White shows that liquid
air possesses remarkable anaesthetlt
and specific powers. and by series OF
experiments he proves that its advent
in medisine and surgery will solve
many problems OF long standing
Speaking OF the subject, he said:
81 am confirmed in my BELIEF thai
liquid air 10 specific for neuralgia,
sciatica and such neurotic LESSONS, by
experiments in which ! have used the
fluid and tested its results. In one
case of sciatisa the patient was suffer-
ing intense pain the whSlO length OF the
leg. The physician. whO had been US
ing the ordinary csutsrixinG treatment
to no eject. permitted the application
of liquid air This was done by dipping
a swab in the fluid and touching the
nerve at It's spinal extremity. Instantly
the pain left the leg. Other aHplica-
tons were made along the nerve to
insure relief. and although month has
elapsed since che operation there has
been no recurrence Of any trouble"
DR.. White showed . culture tube in
which colony Of the bacteria, OF diDh-
iberia had been planted In blood Sc
rum. He then told OF an experiment
in which these bacilli lad been put in
capoillary tubes with sealed ends and
subjected to liquid air fer An hour. At
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.
1T is impossible to kill germs by
freezing" he went on to say. but this
experiment reveals a use of liquid air
which l believe will prove effectual in
many cases OF bacterial diseases"
The doctor then showed a photograph
taken of a 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 tumor
on the childs back and the aesh healed
rapidly. The other excreScence was
treated by ordinary methods and has
even grown larger. In consequence OF
these results | have great hopes fer
liqald air in the treatment of LESSONS
nd such lnfammations Of the skin"
When asked in regard to the use OF
liquid air as an anaSsthstic, DR.. White
told of an experiment in which 1t was
employed
"A boy had received blank cartridge
wound in the hand and in order to per-
form the operation the part was frozen
by spray OF liquid air. Too much waa
applied, and at first the surgeon was no
mere able to cut the Assh than If 1t
had been so much stone. After q mo-
meats waiting the knies cut in easily,
ihflicting no pain, the tsrsisn particles
were removed, and the wound carefully
dressed. A few days later the boy re-
turned. The hand had healed nicely
and was soon entirely well.
There is no pain in the application, u
he continued. except a slight tinglins
at the very beginning. II the part frozen
Is surrounded by healthy tissue it re-
turns to its normal condition as soon
as the cold is removed"