New-York tribune., 1901-07-07

less numerous than in either New-York Chi
cago. London is not a capital where one ex-
poets to discover new methods of treatment in
surgical or medical cases; but there is at least
one hospital where remarkable results have been
obtained by original investigator. This is
the Oxygen Hospital, in Fitzroy Square. under
the patronage of Princess Louise, Duchess of
Argyll 1t is not large institution. and it is
dependent upon private benevolence; but the
work accomplished there merits more attention
than it has received from the medical profession
Of the United Kingdom and the United States
Patients pronounced incurable in general hos
ptals cured there at the minimum cost OF
half a crown week for oxygen treatment.
The percentage of cures is 90 even when
the poorest and most neglected patients suf-
ferins from loathsome diseases are in the wards.
The discoverer of this system of local treat
ment Of wounds and ulcers by oxygen is DR..
George Stoker Irishman by birth. He was
the chief Of the Red Cross ambulance in the last
Turkish Russian war and Stafford House Com
missioner in the ZuIu war, and subsequently he
became a specialist in diseases Of the throat.
nose and ears When he in South Africa
he observed that the wounded Zulus when taken
70 the uplands. where the air was extremely
pure and dry, recovered with extraordinary ra-
pdity There no surgical treatment and no
dressings were used. out the wounds healed
quickly ana surely in pure air. Their experience
suggested u th- Irish surgeon the idea Of ex-
posing not only wounds hut also ulcers 10 the
direct action of oxygen. II was a long time be-
fore he found leisure from an exacting profess
sion for working out the system in detail: bur
during the last five years he has perfected the
method Of treatment and accomplished really
noteworthy results. At the annual meeting of
the oxygen HosuitaI this week the Duke of
Argyll laid stress upon the extraordinary per
centaSe Of cures which had been effected durins.
the last two years; DR. Woodley Stocker d.
scribed the benefits Of the treatment as dis
cl, sea by the experience of the WilleStlen Board
of Guardians and Colonel Saunderson told an
astonishing story OF an Irish priest who had
been cured in three weeks by oxygen after suf-
ferinS for thirteen years from a disease which
had been pronounced hopeless by regular prac-
titioners The visitors. among whom the Rar
Oness Burdett-Coutts was one ha5 only To mako
the rourds OF the wards in order To be con-
WINGED that the treatment of patients by direct
local application of oxygen was painless and
highly successful.
Ihe majority of the patients under treatment
in the wards Were suffering from either ulcers
or lupus; but there We're several in advanced
stages of phthisiS, and he system has been
applied elsewhere To diseases of the throat nose
and ear Dr Stoker evidently believes that
with the proper mechanism and equipment he
can cure pulmonary consumption; and the di-
rectors Cf the hospital are appealing for aid for
the construction of a cubicle where the suppIy
of oxySenated air can be regulated so that the
patients can remain twelve hours at a time
where they can have the stimul>tive and cura-