The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-09-22

patient lies is practically alright. The pressure
i alternately raised and lowered
through mechanical control. When the pres
n the tank is lowered, the chest expands
and air rushes into the lungs. When the pres
sure is raised, the air is expelled.
By means of an electrically operated pump
the atmosphere within the tank IS placed alter
nately under positive and negative pressure.
The positive pressure inducing expiration.
And the negative pressure inducing INSPIRATION.
In simpler terms, breathing IS produced re-
eardless of the will of the subject. A mega.
tive pressure causes the chest to: expand and
air to flow into the lungs. While a positive
pressure compresses the chest and causes the
al 10 be expelled. Thus a movement Of the
chest Is induced which counterfeits the natural
breathing movements.
W7HEN Drinker FIRST got the notion about
w inducing artificial respiration he did
his EXPERIMENTING on cats. There Is
a substance called curare that paralyzes the
respiration. making the subject quiescent and
insensible. South American Indians used It to
poison their arrows. But now science uses II
for laboratory experiments.
Drinker gave his cats an injection OF curare.
And when their breathing was completely sus.
pended, he popped them in his tank and turned
on the pump. And pretty soon out they hoped
as good as newl
Now, perhaps. you think the Drinker
respirator operates pretty much like other
rcspirators, and is no great shakes after ALL.
But most portable respirators have a dis
tinct disadvantage. They force air in and out
Of the lungs, usually through a face mask
fitted with intake and outlet valves. Some
times they may send a forceful inrush OF AIR
into the lungs, which may cause hemorrhage.
Further. If the patient is conscious he IS likely
10 6sht against a mask over the face. and
sometimes with their dying gasp. men will
oppose the working of the mask.
Naturally there was a demand for a new
mechanical device capable of administering
artificial respiration without harm or discom.
fort. !,
Drinkers device Ellis the bill perfectly. !,
4. IN fact. the last word in comfort. Tx
nat;ent lies on a comfortable mattress. made
10 81 The tank. His head. extending through
a soft rubber collar, rests on an adjustable
stand. Aud the air within the tank Is circu
lated through q can Of ice. which serves as
dehumidi6er and a cooling agent. Until Drinke
hit upon the circulation scheme. the patient
bodv raised he temperature in the tank to Al
uncomfortable degree. Now. with his com
fort quite assured. a man might live tor Al
extended period in the tespirator.
THE tank Is equipped with port holes 70
observing the patient. and numerous SINAI
holes for inserting thermometers. stett
e.copes, etc. A novel and quite unexpecte
advantage of the device is that patients ca
eat. deep and drink while the apparatus Is j
operation.
The writer. anxious TO investigate. entere
The tank Is a subject. As the pressures Al
applied. he subject becomes q bit skep6ca
You breathe normally. There Is no VI
,a6on. Il Is possible TO laush~and talk.
AZ pres,ures are increased. Il is impossible to =
must breathe with the machine. The sensahoa
l.
ressures are changed. They are rapidly raised a
The breath comes quick and fast.
we will give you some deep breaths:" says .
tor. resulatng The mechanical control.
G.tely lie subject. chest i deeply inflated. q
chesty. HE an opera snser lcoks. It
Slowly he air i expelled. You breathe aga
move the mbiect. The demonstrator pulls out I
q tank. Ike . desk drawer. Nothing simpler.
faculty. Of the Harvard Schoo! Of Public He..
impressed when they saw Drnker's respirator 2
one immediately. Moreover. they conferred
de young engineer. He ha Princeton srs
L ~ tim. and extremely modest. He alone I
make any ext1avagant. claims for his invenion.