A Short History of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
In 1662, British physician and clergyman Henshaw first used compressed air in an attempt to treat pulmonary disease. His chamber called the “Domicillium” changed pressure using an organ bellows.
In 1774, Joseph Priestley studied the “Goodness of Air”, which ultimately led to his discovery of oxygen.
Paul Bert, in 1878, established the connection of decompression sickness (the bends) and nitrogen bubbles, and demonstrated that pain could be reversed with recompression.
In 1879 French surgeon Fontain’s chamber took advantage of Henry’s Law by raising the atmospheric pressure to increase the amount of oxygen carried by the patient’s bloodstream during the administration of nitrous oxide anesthesia.
Dr. Cunningham of the University of Kansas observed during the flu epidemic of 1918 that the incidence and mortality rate was greater in areas of high altitude, where air pressure was lower. The affected patients usually improved when transported to lower altitudes and a higher pressure.
Credit must be given to the U.S. Navy divers of World War II who helped develop dive tables for different depths, involving various levels of exercise and cold temperatures. Were it not for this hard-won data, safe exposure times for civilian HBO patients could not be quantified.
Modern scientific use of the hyperbaric chamber in clinical medicine began in 1955 with the work of Dr. Churchill-Davidson. He was the first to use high oxygen environments to potentiate the effects of radiation therapy in cancer patients.
Dr. Brummelkamp at the University of Amsterdam found that hyperbaric oxygen could also inhibit anaerobic infections. This was particularly useful in Clostridial gas gangrene, and his group published their paper in 1961. This favorable work resulted in the construction of a chamber at Duke University.
The U.S. National Academy of Sciences formed a committee on “hyperbaric oxygenation” in 1966 in the Division of Medical Sciences.
The Undersea Medical Society was founded in 1967 by former U.S. Navy Diving and Submarine Officers. Later to become the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) it is now an organization with over 3000 members.
St. Luke’s Hospital in Milwaukee publishes the first manual in 1975 listing disorders that had been treated along with the protocol that had been used. This updated manual is still in print.
The Baromedical Nursing Association, created in 1985 takes the initiative in establishing a basis for certification of hyperbaric nurses through the American Nursing Association. In 1991, the National Association of Diving Medical Technicians created a certifying body for hyperbaric technicians who operate chambers. A course of study and examination was standardized in 1999 for the position of Certified Hyperbaric Technician (CHT).
To quote Paul Harch, M.D., author of The Oxygen Revolution, “…men and women who seek HBOT for themselves or their loved ones are medical pioneers, every bit as much as the scientist and healthcare professionals who are always looking for innovative, safe, and effective treatments for their patients”.