1857 oxygen ignored as a medicine
On the therapeutic use of oxygen.
By S.B. Birch M.D..
The Lancet August 1.
Page 112:
Therapeutic use of oxygen gas.
Either alone or as an adjunct.
In various intractable diseases.
Great diversity of opinion.
Little practical knowledge.
Unsatisfactory state of our knowledge.
Several successful trials in private practice.
Patient needs plenty of pure air.
More air than he can possibly obtain.
Idea merely floats through professional mind.
Without practical application.
Use of this remedy has been neglected.
Involves some trouble & loss of time.
Involves practical knowledge.
Neglect to carry out fair trials on a sufficient scale.
Profession led to ignore oxygen as a medicine.
Chemical science tells us that it ought to be a valuable remedial agent.
Several trials on several patients are no evidence.
If they fail,
either it was not suited or not properly exhibited.
Oxygen is not a "universal pancacea".
Fair & sufficiently extensive trial needed.