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The 17th Century:
Pressure Cooker for People?
Picture this: It’s 1662, the plague is running rampant, and you’re feeling a bit under the weather. What do you do? If you’re lucky enough to know British physician Henshaw, you might find yourself in a contraption called the “domicilium.” This wasn’t your average doctor’s office - it was more like a human-sized pressure cooker!
Henshaw’s theory was simple: Ff high air pressure could help plants grow at the bottom of mineshafts, surely it could cure human ailments too. The domicilium looked like a giant acorn and was used to treat everything from inflammation to “putrefaction of humours” (whatever that means).
Fun Fact: The domicilium was so ahead of its time that it took nearly 200 years for anyone to take the idea seriously again. Talk about being pressured to wait!
19th Century:
The Age of Hot Air (Literally)
As we steam into the 1800s, things are getting positively bubbly in the world of hyperbaric medicine:
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1834: French physician Junod builds a hyperbaric chamber that’s basically a fancy sauna. Patients probably came out looking like well-steamed dumplings! He called it the “Junod’s Boot” because… well, it looked like a giant boot. Fashion-forward and medically innovative!
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1837: Another Frenchman, Pravaz, decides to one-up Junod by building a massive hyperbaric chamber in Lyon. It was so big that entire orchestras could play inside for the patients’ entertainment. Talk about high-pressure performances!
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1877: Paul Bert writes “La Pression Barométrique,” which sounds like a weather forecast but is actually a groundbreaking book on pressure physiology. Bert discovered that too much oxygen could be toxic, a phenomenon now known as the “Paul Bert Effect.”
Early 20th Century:
Oxygen Enters the Chat
The 1900s roll around, and someone finally has the bright idea to add oxygen to the mix:
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1917: Drager invents the first HBOT device for treating “the bends” in divers. This invention was a game-changer for deep-sea divers, who could now explore the ocean depths without turning into human bubble wrap.
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1937: Drs. Behnke and Shaw use hyperbaric oxygen to treat decompression sickness. They discovered this treatment by accident when trying to cure a hangover. Okay, that’s not true, but wouldn’t it be a great story?
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Fun Fact: During World War II, the US Navy used hyperbaric chambers to treat divers suffering from decompression sickness. These chambers were affectionately nicknamed “Iron Lungs of the Deep.”
Mid-20th Century:
HBOT Goes Mainstream
Things really start heating up (or should we say, pressurizing up?) in the mid-1900s:
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1956: Dr. Ite Boerema, the “Father of Hyperbaric Medicine,” performs the first open-heart surgery using HBOT. He proved that animals could survive without red blood cells as long as the plasma was saturated with oxygen under pressure. Boerema’s paper was titled “Life Without Blood,” which sounds more like a vampire romance novel than a medical breakthrough.
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1960s: HBOT gains recognition for treating carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s like a reset button for your blood! This discovery saved countless lives and gave firefighters everywhere a reason to breathe easier (pun intended).
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1965: In a classic case of “don’t try this at home,” Dr. Jack Cover builds a hyperbaric oxygen chamber in his basement to treat his wife’s cancer. While we don’t recommend DIY medical equipment, you’ve got to admire his dedication!
Late 20th Century:
Getting Official
The latter part of the 20th century brings some much-needed organization to the world of HBOT:
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1967: The Undersea Medical Society is founded.
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1976: The Committee on Hyperbaric Oxygenation is formed. They had the important job of separating the facts from the hot air in HBOT research.
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1995: The FDA approves HBOT for treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.
21st Century:
To Infinity and Beyond!
Welcome to the future, where HBOT isn’t just for divers and heart surgeries anymore:
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2000s: Research into HBOT for traumatic brain injury and PTSD takes off. Because sometimes, you need to put your head under pressure to clear it. This research has given new hope to veterans and accident survivors.
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2010s: Growing interest in HBOT for anti-aging. Who needs a fountain of youth when you have a pressurized chamber of youth? Celebrities start flocking to HBOT centers faster than you can say “hyperbaric facial”.
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2020: In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers begin exploring HBOT as a potential treatment.
Conclusion
From beer keg-like contraptions to sleek modern chambers that look like they’re straight out of a spaceship, HBOT has had quite the journey. It’s gone from treating “the bends” to potentially helping with everything from wound healing to brain injuries.
As we look to the future, who knows what other conditions might benefit from a little extra O2 under pressure? One thing’s for sure - the history of HBOT is anything but boring. It’s been a gas, folks!
Remember: Always consult with a healthcare professional before trying HBOT. We can’t guarantee it’ll give you superpowers or the ability to breathe underwater, but hey, you never know! Just don’t try building a chamber in your basement. Leave that to the professionals, unless you want to star in your own submarine movie gone wrong.
And there you have it - the pressure-packed, oxygen-rich history of HBOT. Next time you see a hyperbaric chamber, you can impress your friends with fun facts about 17th-century pressure cookers for people and basement cancer treatments. Just remember to take a deep breath first!
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References
Jain, K. K. (2017). Textbook of Hyperbaric Medicine. Springer.
Brubakk, A. O., & Neuman, T. S. (2003). Bennett and Elliott’s physiology and medicine of diving. Saunders.
Kindwall, E. P., & Whelan, H. T. (2008). Hyperbaric Medicine Practice. Best Publishing Company.
Bert, P. (1878). La pression barométrique: recherches de physiologie expérimentale. G. Masson.
Vann, R. D., & Mitchell, S. J. (2011). Decompression theory and practice. In Diving and Subaquatic Medicine. CRC Press.
Behnke, A. R., & Shaw, L. A. (1937). The use of oxygen in the treatment of compressed-air illness. Naval Medical Bulletin, 35, 61-73.
US Navy Diving Manual. (2016). Direction of Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command.
Boerema, I., Meyne, N. G., Brummelkamp, W. H., et al. (1960). Life without blood: A study of the influence of high atmospheric pressure and hypothermia on dilution of blood. Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery, 1, 133-146.
Hampson, N. B., Piantadosi, C. A., Thom, S. R., & Weaver, L. K. (2012). Practice recommendations in the diagnosis, management, and prevention of carbon monoxide poisoning. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 186(11), 1095-1101.
Feldmeier, J. J. (2003). Hyperbaric oxygen 2003: indications and results: the hyperbaric oxygen therapy committee report. Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society.
Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society. (n.d.). About UHMS. https://www.uhms.org/about/about-uhms.html
Gesell, L. B. (2008). Hyperbaric oxygen therapy indications. Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society.
Food and Drug Administration. (1995). Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: its use and appropriateness. OEI-06-91-00090.
Harch, P. G., & Neubauer, R. A. (2004). Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in global cerebral ischemia/anoxia and coma. In Textbook of Hyperbaric Medicine (pp. 223-261). Springer.
Ishii, Y., Deie, M., Adachi, N., et al. (2005). Hyperbaric oxygen as an adjuvant for athletes. Sports Medicine, 35(9), 739-746.
Gorenstein, S. A., Castellano, M. L., Slone, E. S., et al. (2020). Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for COVID-19 patients with respiratory distress: treated cases versus propensity-matched controls. Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine, 47(3), 405-413.