The Denver Jewish news., 1925-01-22

uflnlllNli OF llilN, anu huTIllN' vi llllA
country. conceived the idea Of introduc-
ing into the chest cavity, II very small
space separating the lung from the
bony chest wall, an inert gas with the
object Of collapsing the spongy lung.
This was first tried upon animals, and,
having proven successful, was applied
TO human beings. \ long chain of re-
searches and Investigations followed,
resulting in the perfection Of this treat
ment The Sanatorium of the Jewish
Consumptives' Relief Society was one
of tho carly American pioneers TO start
this treatment The members of the
medical staff vividly recall the heart
throbs they experienced when the
treatment was administered for the
first time. The patient, considered a
Denver citizens today, actively en-
gagged in communal and charitable
work. Ordinary filtered air from The
atmosphere instead of nitrogen or oNy-
gen is now being used and the mcthcd
of administration is by means of II sim
ply devised apparatus, consisting of
two bottles, one filled with water and
the other with air, placed nt different
heights, so that the bottle containing
the water displaccs the air by means
of gravity and through needle con
nectcd with II tube the air is introduced
into the chest.
Simple as this remedy may appear,
it nevertheless requires great judge
mcnt. skill and efficiency on the part of
the attending physician in selecting the
proper type of eases suitable for such
treatment. Gas reiills have to be ud-
ministcrcd at regular intervals over Il
period of at least three years and 1t is
during that period that the most exact
ing medical supervision is of the ut
most Importance. In well regulated
SanutOria each case is examined by the
N-ray before and after each treatment.
This method has proven life saver
in eases of uncomfortable hemorrhasc
from the lungs. one can readily see
how the compression of the lung will
cause cessation of the bleeding. 1t
has proven Of value in eases from alb
sccsScs Of one lung ana other condi-
tionS Of similar nature
While this treatment is more appli-
cable 10 those having only one lung dis.
eaScd, yet, in recent years its use has
been extended to such cases who have
one lung extensively diseased and the
other lung only partly involved, In
such cases, careful Judgment has to be-
exercised as to how much TO collapse
the worst diseased lung.
Tho arch enemy Of this splendid rem
cdy is pcnuriSy. one or more infIam-
mntons Of the covering membrane or
plcura fthe lung causes the former to
become firmly adhcrcnt to a similar
membrane lining the interior Of the
chest wall. thus obliterating the small
space normally existing between the
lung an dthc chest When such condi-
tiOn exists gas treatment can not ma
turally be given. ms there is no space
into which to Introduce the air. Here
science again has come to the rescue in
the form Of modern surgery.
The sugical collapse Of diseased
lung or thoracoplasty consists in the
excelsior of small pieces of eleven ribs
on the affected side, varying in size
from one TO six inches. The cut is
made in the middle of the back of the
chest about half way from the spine.
With these portions of ribs removed
the rigdity Of the chest wall is over
come an dn caying in tnkes place. This
caving.in process causes permanent
contraction. or so-callcd collapse of the
diseased lung. This operation is now
performed in two or even three stages,
at intervals of three or four weeks
each in accordance with the individual
condition of the patient
II Is u source of pride and gratllica-
tion to be able to record that in Denver