title: Early misconceptions about nitrous oxide, an "invigorating" asphyxiant.
abstract: Well into the twentieth century, nitrous oxide was often suspected to support life in the manner of oxygen. Authorities contributing to that life-threatening misimpression include Humphry Davy, Gardner Q. Colton, and George W. Crile. Concomitantly, deprivation of oxygen was long touted as a requisite for nitrous oxide anesthesia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA. talston@partners.org
authors.forename: Theodore A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Alston
mesh_terms: D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000266:history*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D010100:Oxygen / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D010100:Oxygen