1869 unbiased case observations
Edward Mackey.
Joint Professor of Materia Medica &Therapeutics.
Queen's College Birmingham.
Presents 12 cases treated with oxygen.
Cases III & VI quoted below.
Oxygen gas supplied by Barth.
Administered in his apparatus.
Generally unbiased assessment.
On the therapeutical value of the inhalation of oxygen gas.
By Edward Mackey.
M.B. Lond. etc..
Practitioner Vol 2.
Simply stated facts under my own observation.
Pages 276-287:
Case III:
Phthisis pulmonalis.
Mrs. W.@ 31.
Consulted me in Dec. 1867.
Lost father & sisters of consumption.
Cough for last 6 months.
Emaciated last 3 months.
At this time had the prostration.
Night sweats.
Diarrhea.
Hectic of the third stage of phthisis.
Hemoptysis occurred several times.
Expectoration was generally purulent.
Violent pains especially over left chest.
Examination revealed a fine crepitus at apex of left lung.
Treated with ordinary medicines.
Improved gradually.
Opium in the form of an atomized spray.
For relieving cough & procuring sleep.
Tincture of steel & carbolic acid.
Relieved profuse expectoration.
Case became complicated.
Peri-uterine haematocele.
1868 February: rallied from this also.
1868 July 1: could walk as far as my house.
Principal symptoms:
Debility.
Pains in the chest.
Cough.
Copious muco-purulent sputum.
Began inhalations of oxygen.
6 pints to 60 of air.
Increasing to 12 pints.
Inhalations at intervals of 2 days.
Found above symptoms relieved.
Able to omit all treatment for a time.
She herself attributed great benefit to the gas.
Taking no other special medicine at the time.
Cares of a large family.
Gained flesh.
Still a frequent cough & sputum.
Mucous rale about the left apex.
Progress of disease arrested for a time at least.
CASE VI:
Dyspnoea.
Warehouse woman of 27.
Lost several brothers & sisters of phthisis.
Depressed by nursing last one.
1868 June: came to me.
Symptoms of dyspepsia.
Attacks of difficult breathing.
At fixed hour 9 or 10 in morning.
Occasionally after later meals.
Constantly sighing deeply.
Hysterical temperatment.
Cough & viscid expectoration.
Physical examination revealed nothing very definite.
Puerile respiration in one lung.
Diminshed vesicular murmur in the other.
Various stomachic or hysterical dyspnoea.
Administered oxygen to her.
Proportion of 5 pints to 30 of air.
Double dose only on 3 to 4 occasions.
Possible doses not large enough for a fair trial.
Slight relief but not permanent.
Use of bromide of potassium & quinine.
Patient recovered.
She has since married & is well.