Oxygen History in Medicine

Back in the 1880’s oxygen was in use by many unlicensed charlatans, as well as M.D.’s. In truth, it was what was referred to as “compound oxygen.” They were not molecular oxygen, two O atoms in stable union, the most common specie in nature. It was variable and vague, but generally meant a combination of N and O, with O in much larger proportion than the 4:1 ratio of air. The truth was that almost none of this had a much higher oxygen content than air.

By the 1890’s a common ratio N:O was often about 2:1.

In 1910, oxygen was bubbled through pure alcohol and administered in cardiac cases and thought to be an improvement over oxygen alone.

By World War I, there was intravenous injection of oxygen gas. It must have been extremely slowly administered to avoid embolism. Even so, embolisms may have happened and helped to end the practice by killing the patient..

But let us come to the current situation, It is now known that breathing pure oxygen increases the rate of respiration. Much more carbon dioxide is dumped in the exhalations. The blood vessels constrict, thereby reducing delivery of the oxygen to the rest of the body, in spite of the much higher intake.

There are also changes in pH, and in the hormone regulation in the brain.

Strangely, mixing in a small amount of CO2 (5%) eliminates the problem. Or actually one of the problems. Then there is the matter of the suicidal mitochondria. It turns out that inhaling pure oxygen tends to bring out that self-destructive impulse. Doctors refer to it as apoptosis.

Most of us think only of energy production when we think of the mitochondria. And we notice that, as we age, our energy and strength slowly seem to wane. Few of us realize that the mitochondria under certain conditions self-destruct, often taking the cell, and eventually us with them. Pure oxygen seems to jack them up too high. Then they crash.