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. MACKINTOSH several 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 PRIESTLEY from breathing nitrous oxide, generally had
unpleasant fulness of the head and throbbing of the arteries, which
prevented him from continuing the respiration.
Dr. BEDDOES mentioned in his Notice, that Mr. JOSIAH WEDGWOOD and Mr.
THOMAS WEDGWOOD experienced rather unpleasant feelings from the gas.
Mr. JOSIAH WEDGWOOD has since repeated the trial, the effects were
powerful, but not in the slighted degree pleasant.
Mr. R. BOULTON and Mr. G. WATT have 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 last Division. 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 with
accuracy: 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 persons inclined 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
no effects 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
of the 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.