Gas And Air ???

[joggerjayne]

Why did Entonox become known as "Gas And Air" ?

I wonder, because:

1. Nitrous Oxide and Oxygen are both gases, so which of these components is the "gas" bit referring to?

2. Neither of the component gases is "air".

Shouldn't it be called "Gas And Gas"? or "Gas Made Up Of Two Gases"?

[ummmm]

Well you're not suppose to take it continuously so after the gas you're breathing air.

[aggiela]

Its because you are breathing both the gas and fresh air at the same time. wonderful stuff anyway!

[ABerrant]

Why did "Gas and Air" become known as Entonox?

Because 120 years after the first recorded usage of Nitrous Oxide as an anaesthetic (and the intervening years when risk of hypoxia was reduced by mixing with air, then 21% Oxygen {i.e. the proportion of Oxygen found in air}, then various other proportions of Oxygen) BOC Medical trademarked their 50/50 concotion as Entonox in 1965.

[craft1948]

Don't care what it was called............I called it gimme gimme gimme.

[Peter Pedant]

oh dear not much luck on this one


gas - which comes from the word chaos - became attached to Nitrous Oxide by doctors who gave anaesthetics

and yes you could give gas-and air through something called a Minnitts apparatus 1935

and someone noticed that this would be a hypoxic mixture
and noticed that around erm 1962

and you will notice that three years later an oxygen enriched mixture got onto the market and presumably people said - oh goody ! gas and air is back !

If you read Minnitts 1935 monograph - you have to get one first - surprisingly enough the appendix at the back, he does do oxygen estimations on his patients using a van slyke apparatus and reports no hypoxia.
But only you and I know that one

[cathfromsaron]

yes it should be called gas and gas! but when you are in labour the air bit sounds reassuring! i reckon the one i had was air and air though!

[tiggerblue10]

Did nothing for me unfortunately :o(