ABSTRACTS from ADDITIONAL DETAILS.—OBSERVATIONS on the EFFECTS of NITROUS OXIDE, by Dr. BEDDOES.—CONCLUSION.
I.Abstracts from additional Details.
The trials related in the following abstracts, have been chiefly made since the publication of Dr. Beddoes’s Notice. Many of the individuals breathed the gas from pure curiosity. Others with a disbelief of its powers.
Mr.Wynne, M. P. breathed five quarts of diluted nitrous oxide, without any sensation. Six quarts produced fulness in the chest, heat in the hands and feet, and sense of tension in the fingers, slight but pleasant sensations. Seven quarts produced no new or different effects.
Mr.Mackintoshseveral times breathed nitrous oxide. He had sense of fulness in the head, thrillings, tingling in the fingers, and generally pleasurable feelings.
Mr.John Cave, Junr. from breathing four quarts of nitrous oxide, felt sensations as from superior wine, and general pleasant feelings.
Mr.Michael Castle, from five quarts, experienced sensations of heat and thrilling, general spirits heightened considerably as from wine; afterwards, slight pain in the back of the head.
Mr.H. Cardwell, from five quarts, had feelings so pleasurable as almost to destroy consciousness; almost convulsed with laughter; for a long time could not think of the feeling without laughing; sensation of lightness for some time after.
Mr.Jarman, from five quarts, great pleasure, laughter, certainly better spirits, glow in the cheeks which continued long.
The gentleman who furnished the preceding detail, had heard of the effects of nitrous oxide, and was prepared to experience new sensations: I therefore gave him a bag of common air which he respired, believing it to be nitrous oxide; and was much surprised that no effects were produced. He then breathed five quarts of nitrous oxide, and after the experiment, gave this account of his sensations.
Rev.W. A. Cane, after inhaling the gas, felt the most delicious sensations accompanied by a thrill through every part of his body. He did not think it possible so charming an effect could have been produced. He had heard of the gas; but the result of the experiment far exceeded his expectations.
May 6th, 1800.
Mr.Joseph Priestleyfrom breathing nitrous oxide, generally had unpleasant fulness of the head and throbbing of the arteries, which prevented him from continuing the respiration.
Dr.Beddoesmentioned in his Notice, that Mr.Josiah Wedgwoodand Mr.Thomas Wedgwoodexperienced rather unpleasant feelings from the gas. Mr.Josiah Wedgwoodhas since repeated the trial, the effects were powerful, but not in the slighted degree pleasant.
Mr.R. Boultonand Mr.G. Watthave been much less affected than any individuals.
Many other persons have respired the gas, but as their accounts contain nothing unnoticed in the details, it is useless to particularise them.
The cases of all the males who have been unpleasantly affected since we have learnt to prepare the gas with accuracy, are related in this Section and in the lastDivision. Those who have been pleasurably affected after a fair trial and whose cases are not noticed, generally experienced fulness in the head, heat in the chest, pleasurable thrillings, and consequent exhilaration.
To persons who have been unaccustomed to breathe through a tube, we have usually given common air till they have learnt to respire withaccuracy: and in cases where the form of the mouth has prevented the lips from being accurately closed on the breathing tube, by the advice of Mr. Watt, we have used a tin plate conical mouth-piece fixed to the cheeks, and accurately adapted to the lips; by means of which precautions, all our later trials have been perfectly conclusive.
II.Of the effects of Nitrous Oxide upon personsinclined to hysterical and nervous affections.
The case of Miss—— N. and other cases, detailed by Dr. Beddoes in his Notice, seemed to prove that the action of nitrous oxide was capable of producing hysterical and nervous affections in delicate and irritable constitutions.
On this subject, we have lately acquired additional facts.
Miss E. a young lady who had been subject to hysteric fits, breathed three quarts of nitrous oxide mingled with much common air, and felt noeffects but a slight tendency to fainting. She then breathed four quarts of pure nitrous oxide: her first inspirations were deep, her last very feeble. At the end she dropt the bag from her lips, and continued for some moments motionless. Her pulse which at the beginning of the experiment was strong, appeared to me to be at this time, quicker and weaker. She soon began to move her hands and talked for some minutes incoherently, as if ignorant of what had passed. In less than a quarter of an hour, she had recovered, but could give no account of her sensations. A certain degree of languor continued through the day.
A young lady who never had hysterical attacks, wished to breathe the gas. I informed her of the disagreeable effects it had sometimes produced, and advised her if she had the slightest tendency to nervous affection, not to make the trial. She persisted in her resolution.
To ascertain the influence of imagination, I first gave her a bag of common air, which she declared produced no effect. I then ordered for her a quart of nitrous oxide mingled with two quarts of common air; but from the mistake of the person who prepared it, three quarts of nitrous oxide were administered with one of common air. She breathed this for near a minute, and after the experiment, described her sensations as unpleasant, and said she felt at the moment as if she was dying. The unpleasant feelings quickly went off, and a few minutes after, she had apparently recovered her former state of mind. In the course of the day, however, a violent head-ache came on, and in the evening after she had taken a medicine which operated violently, hysterical affections were produced, followed by great debility. They occasionally returned for many days, and the continued weak and debilitated for a great length of time.
Mrs. S. a delicate lady, liable to nervous affections who had heard ofthe cases just detailed, chose to breathe the gas. By three quarts she was thrown into a trance, which lasted for three or four minutes. On recovering, the could give no account of her feelings, and had some languor for half an hour afterwards.
These phænomena have rendered us cautious in administering the gas to delicate females. In a few instances however, it has been taken by persons of this class, and even by those inclined to hysterical and nervous complaints with pleasurable effects.
Miss L. a young lady who had formerly had hysterical fits, breathed a quart of nitrous oxide with three quarts of common air without effects. Two quarts of nitrous oxide with one of common air produced a slight giddiness; four quarts of nitrous oxide produced a fit of immoderate laughter, which was succeeded by slight exhilaration, her spirits were good throughout the day, and no depression followed.
Miss B. Y—— and Miss S. Y—— both delicate but healthy young ladies, were affected very pleasantly; each by three quarts of nitrous oxide, the first time of respiring it. Miss B Y—— continued exhilarated and in high spirits for some hours after the dose. Miss S. Y—— had a slight head-ache, which did not go off for some hours.
Mrs. F. inclined to be hysterical, breathed four quarts of nitrous oxide mingled with common air. She was giddy and described her feelings as odd; but had not the slightest languor after the experiment.
III.Observations on the effects of Nitrous Oxide,byDr. Beddoes.
Neither my notes nor my recollection supply much in addition to what I formerly stated in theNotice of Observations at the Pneumatic Institution.Longman.The gas maintains its first characteras well in its effects on me, as in the benefit it confers on some of the paralytic, and the injury it does or threatens to the hysterical and the exquisitely sensible. I find that five or six quarts operate as powerfully as ever. I seem to make a given quantity go farther by holding my breath so that the gas may be absorbed in a great degree without returning into the bag, and therefore, be as little heated before inspiration as possible.—This may be fancy.
After innumerable trials, I have never once felt lassitude ordepression[226]. Most commonly I am sensible of a grateful glowcircum præcordia. This has continued for hours.—In two or three instances only has inhalation failed to be followed by pleasurable feeling, it has never been followed by the contrary. On a few occasions before the gas was exhausted, I have found it impossible to continue breathing.
The pulse at first becomes fuller and stronger. Whenever, after exposure to a cold wind, the warmth of the room has created a glow in the cheeks, the gas has increased this to strong flushing—which common air breathed in the same way, failed to do.
Several times I have found that a cut which had ceased to be painful has smarted afresh, and on taking two doses in succession, the smarting ceased in the interval and returned during the second respiration. I had no previous expectation of the first smarting.
The only time I was near rendering myself insensible to present objects by very carefully breathing several doses in quick succession, I forcibly exclaimed,TONES!—In fact, besides a general thrilling, there seemed to be quick and strong alterations in the degree of illumination of all surrounding objects; and I felt as if composed of finely vibrating strings. On this occasion, the skin seemed in a state of constriction and the lips glued to the mouth-piece, and the mucous membrane of the lungs contracted, but not painfully. However, no constriction or corrugation of the skin could be seen. I am conscious of having made a great number of observations while breathing, which I could never recover.
Immediately afterwards I have often caught myself walking with a hurried step and busy in soliloquy. The condition of general sensation being as while hearing chearful music, or after good news, or a moderate quantity of wine.
Mr. John Cave, Junr. and his three friends, as well as others, comparedthe effects to Champagne. Most persons have had the idea of the effect of fermented liquors excited by the gas. It were to be wished that we had, for a standard of comparison, observations on the effect of these liquors as diversified and as accurate as we have obtained concerning the gas; nor would more uniformity in the action of these substances be observed if the enquiry were strictly pursued. Opium and spirits seem, in particular states to sicken and distress in the first instance; how differently does wine at an early hour and fasting act upon those who are accustomed to take it only after dinner!
I thought it might be an amusing spectacle to see the different tints of blood flowing from a wound by a leech in consequence of breathing different airs. The purple from the nitrous oxide was very evident. Oxygene, we thought, occasioned a quicker flow and brighter color in the blood. In another experiment, an inflamed area round the puncture from a leech applied the day before, was judged by several spectatorsto become much more crimson on the respiration of about 20 quarts of oxygene gas, which possibly acts more powerfully on inflamed parts.[227]These and many similar experiments, require to be repeated on the blood of single arteries opened in warm and cold animals.
It has appeared to me that I could hold my breath uncommonly long when respiring oxygene gas mixed with nitrous oxide. While trying this to-day, (17th June), I thought the sense of smell much more acute after the nitrous oxide than before I began to respire at all; and then I felt conscious that this increased acuteness had before repeatedlyoccurred—a fact very capable, I apprehend, of a pneumatological interpretation.
Time by my feelings has always appeared longer than by a watch.
I thought of trying to observe whether while I alternately breathed quantities of nitrous oxide and oxygene gas and common air, I could observe any difference in the operation of a blister beginning to bite the skin. It would be of consequence to ascertain the effect of regulating by compression the flow of blood, while stimulants of various kinds (and heated bodies among the rest) were applied to or near the extremities—because in erisipelas and various inflammatory affections, a ready and pleasant cure might be effected by partial compression of the arteries going to the diseased part; and a great improvement in practice thus obtained.
But I should run into an endless digression, were I to enumerate possible physiological experiments with artificial airs, or to speculate on the mechanical improvement of medicine, which at presentas far as mechanical means of affecting the living system are concerned, is with us in a state that would almost disgrace a nation of savages.
IV.Conclusion.
From the facts detailed in the preceding pages, it appears that the immediate effects of nitrous oxide upon the living system, are analogous to those of diffusible stimuli. Both increase the force of circulation, produce pleasurable feeling, alter the condition of the organs of sensation, and in their most extensive action destroy life.
In the mode of operation of nitrous oxide and diffusible stimuli, considerable differences however, exist.
Diffusible stimuli act immediately on the muscular and nervous fibre. Nitrous oxide operates upon them only by producing peculiar changes in the composition of the blood.
Diffusible stimuli affect that part of the system most powerfully to which they are applied, and act on the whole only by means of its sympathy with that part. Nitrous oxide in combination with the blood, is universal in its application and action.
We know very little of the nature of excitement; as however, life depends immediately on certain changes effected in the blood in respiration, and ultimately on the supply of certain nutritive matter by the lymphatics; it is reasonable to conclude, that during the action of simulating substances, from the increased force of circulation, not only more oxygene and perhaps nitrogene must be combined with the blood in respiration,[228]but likewise more fluid nutritive matter supplied to it in circulation.
By this oxygene and nutritive matter excitability may be kept up: and exhaustion consequent to excitement only produced, in consequence of a deficiency of some of the nutritive principles, which are supplied by absorption.
When nitrous oxide is breathed, nitrogene (a principle under common circumstances chiefly carried into the blood by the absorbents in fluid compounds) is supplied in respiration; a greater quantity of oxygene is combined with the blood than in common respiration, whilst less carbonic acid and probably less water are evolved.
Hence a smaller quantity of nutritive matter is probably required from the absorbents during the excitement from nitrous oxide, than during the operation of stimulants; and in consequence, exhaustion from the expenditure of nutritive matter more seldom occasioned.
SinceResearch III. has been printed, I have endeavoured to ascertain the quantities of nitrogene produced when nitrous oxide is respired for a considerable time. In one experiment, when I breathed about four quarts of gas in a glass bell over impregnated water for near a minute, it was diminished to about two quarts; and the residuum extinguished flame.
Now the experiments inResearch II. prove that when nitrous oxide is decomposed by combustible bodies, the quantity of nitrogene evolved is rather greater in volume than the pre-existing nitrous oxide. Hence much of the nitrogene taken into the system during the respiration of nitrous oxide, must be either carried into new combinations, or given out by the capillary vessels through the skin.
It would be curious to ascertain whether the quantity of ammoniac in the saline matters held in solution by the secreted fluids is increased after the respiration of nitrous oxide. Experiments made upon theconsumption of nitrous oxide mingled with atmospheric air by the smaller animals, would go far to determine whether any nitrogene is given out through the skin.
The various effects of nitrous oxide upon different individuals and upon the same individuals at different times, prove that its powers are capable of being modified both by the peculiar condition of organs, and by the state of general feeling.
Reasoning from common phænomena of sensation, particularly those relating to heat, it is probable that pleasurable feeling is uniformly connected with a moderate increase of nervous action; and that this increase when carried to certain limits, produces mixed emotion or sublime pleasure; and beyond those limits occasions absolute pain.
Comparing the facts in the last division, it is likely that individuals possessed of high health and little sensibility, will generally be less pleasurably affected by nitrous oxide than such as have more sensibility, in whom the emotions will sometimes so far enter the limitsof pain as to become sublime;[229]whilst the nervous action in such as have exquisite sensibility, will be so much increased as often to produce disagreeable feeling.
Modification of the powers of nitrous oxide by mixture of the gas with oxygene or common air, will probably enable the most delicately sensible to respire it without danger, and even with pleasurable effects: heretofore it has been administered to such only in its pure form or mingled with small quantities of atmospheric air, and in its pure form even the most robust are unable to respire it with safety for more than five minutes.
The muscular actions[230]sometimes connected with the feelings produced by nitrous oxide, seem to depend in a great measure upon the particular habits of the individual; they will usually be of that kind which is produced either by common pleasurable feelings or strong emotions.
Hysterical affection is occasioned by nitrous oxide, probably only in consequence of the strong emotion produced, which destroys the power of the will, and calls up series of automatic motions formerly connected with a variety of less powerful but similar feelings.
The quickness of the operation of nitrous oxide, will probably render it useful in cases of extreme debility produced by deficiency of commonexciting powers. Perhaps it may be advantageously applied mingled with oxygene or common air, to the recovery of persons apparently dead from suffocation by drowning or hanging.
The only diseases in which nitrous oxide has been hitherto employed, are those of deficient sensibility.—An account of its agency in paralytic affections, will be speedily published by Dr. Beddoes.
As by its immediate operation the tone of the irritable fibre is increased, and as exhaustion rarely follows the violent muscular motions sometimes produced by it, it is not unreasonable to expect advantages from it in cases of simple muscular debility.
The apparent general transiency of its operation in the pure form in single doses has been considered as offering arguments against its power of producing lasting changes in the constitution. It will, however, be easy to keep up excitement of different degrees of intensity for a great length of time, either by administering theunmingled gas in rapid successive doses, or by preserving a permanent atmosphere, containing different proportions of nitrous oxide and common air, by means of a breathing chamber.[231]That single doses nevertheless, are capable of producing permanent effects in some constitutions, is evident, as well from the hysterical cases as from some of the details—particularly that of Mr. M. M. Coates.
As nitrous oxide in its extensive operation appears capable of destroying physical pain, it may probably be used with advantage during surgical operations in which no great effusion of blood takes place.
From the strong inclination of those who have been pleasantly affected by the gas to respire it again, it is evident, that the pleasure produced, is not lost, but that it mingles with the mass of feelings, and becomes intellectual pleasure, or hope. The desire of some individuals acquainted with the pleasures of nitrous oxide for the gashas been often so strong as to induce them to breathe with eagerness, the air remaining in the bags after the respiration of others.
As hydrocarbonate acts as a sedative,[232]and diminishes living action as rapidly as nitrous oxide increases it, on the common theory of excitability[233]it would follow, that by differently modifying the atmosphere by means of this gas and nitrous oxide, we should be in possession of a regular series of exciting and depressing[234]powers applicable to every deviation of the constitution from health: but the common theory of excitability is most probably founded on a false generalisation. The modifications of diseased action may be infinite and specific in different organs; and hence out of the power of agents operating on the whole of the system.
Whenever we attempt to combine our scattered physiological facts, we are stopped by the want of numerous intermediate analogies; and so loosely connected or so independant of each other, are the different series of phænomena, that we are rarely able to make probable conjectures, much less certain predictions concerning the results of new experiments.
An immense mass of pneumatological, chemical, and medical information must be collected, before we shall be able to operate with certainty, on the human constitution.
Pneumatic chemistry in its application to medicine, is an art in infancy, weak, almost useless, but apparently possessed of capabilities of improvement. To be rendered strong and mature, she must be nourished by facts, strengthened by exercise, and cautiously directed in the application of her powers by rational scepticism.