The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-25

would seem to those who judge medi-
cine from an outside point Of view
that should saline injections be used
at certain times when health is abnor-
NAL they might have still greater eff
feet on the physique were they used
at a time when nature required only a
stimulant and not a restorer.
Valuable as drugs are, do they really
enact the part in therapeutics that is
desired on the ground of prevention
being better than cure?
In plain language, would 1t not be
better if the use of drugs could be OBJ
Waited by a prearranged use Of such a
stimulant as salt has proved itself to
be to the blood.
One of the most common complaints
at the present time is anaemia We
understand that anaemia, another
name for weakness, is result of the
domination Of the white corpuscles
over the red or healthy elements of
the blood. Given the virtues which
salt has been shown to posses, why
should not a timely use Of saline in
jections anticipate and nulIify the
need of drugs. In fact, why cannot dis
ease be anticipated and STAYED off?
Perhaps, If one may dare to venture
further in therapeutics, more natural
remedy either than drugs or salt may
be found and more subtle hygienic
power utilized,
Prof. Lingle has been making some
experiments in regard to the applica-
ton of oxygen to the blood and has for
tunately called attention to the value
of this element in therapeutics. $3.50
Prof. Lingle by his experiments has
shown that current of arterial blood
passing through apparently dead mus
Gle restores its contractility. His dis
coverY, however is not original, as Ma
Moffat has pointed out, showing that
the use of oxygen in therapeutics was
appreciated by Priestly, the discoverer
of oxygen. A little later than this the
famous able Spallanzani revived sus-
pended animation in snail by expos
Ing the heart to a current of the gas.
Many investigators have paralleled
these experiments, and Draper, in his
Human Physiology" published III
1865, gives us his view as follows:
"Given after cadaveric rightly has
been assumed, the contractile power Of
| muscles may be restored by furnishing
them arterial (oxygenated blood; for
this fact we are indebted to DIR. Brown
Sequard, his experiment having been
| made both upon men and animals.
| This restoration of contractility was
by no means imperfect or transient. In
one instance 1t continued for two
! hours"
Draper, as Mr.. Moffat points out,
NNOl OCNCAOpCu LuC IuOOTy IHdL the ar
terialtzatiOn on oxygenation of the
blood in the lungs is the cause of the
circulation in man.
The use of oxygen by means of inhala-
ton has become in recent years quite a
feature of medical practice, but it has
mainly been as a-dernier resort. Being
rather expensive, it has been used merely
! by the rich as rule and simply to pro-
long life at the last extremity.
Prof. F. Northrop. member Of the
| British Academy Of Science. has prob
| ably been closer student of the virtues
| OF oxygen than any person living
| At his laboratory in West Thirty fourth
street, New York, he produces mainly
| for use In the city hospitals. what is
| known as a perfected compound oxygen
In discussing the question Of its appli-
| cation, DR.. Northrop said: TT is some
| consolation to learn that the scepticism
! of the medical fraternity regarding the
| efficacy of oxygen inhalation is rapidly
| disappearing in the light OF new facts
and unqueStionable results II the value
of oxygen in therapeutics were better
| known we should have new era in n.y.
| g1ene, instead of being used as a means
| Of prolonging life at the last extremity it
! would be taken as a restorative and be-
| fore nature had been compelled to ask
! for aid 1t should be possible to avert the
| necessity.
There is nothing In nature so easily ae-
| cessible as oxygen and nothing that can
| be applied more simply. It is strange
| that so many seekers for the spring Of
| Ponce de Leon do not discover this royal
road to health and longevity
us IL too simple to be believed or how
| does this strange failure to grasp q vital
| fact pass suffering humanity?"