History
Already in the 17th century it was established that the recovery process may be favorably influenced by the change in air pressure. In 1662, British physician and priest Henshaw first used compressed air to treat lung disease. His first chamber was called “Domicilium”. The pressure in the chamber could be increased or decreased using organ bellows. Oxygen was discovered independently by the Swedish pharmacist Karl W. Scheel in 1772 and by the English amateur chemist Joseph Priestley in August 1774. In 1783, French physician Caillens as first physician allegedly used oxygen therapy.
In the 19th century, hyperbaric chambers which served as pressurized air baths are becoming popular. In 1834, a hyperbaric chamber was built in France followed by rise of popularity of hyperbaric medicine itself. Exposures in the hyperbaric chamber were recommended to increase the functioning of internal organs, to improve blood flow to the brain and to create a sense of well-being. Many people come here to try the new therapy. In 1877, the first portable hyperbaric chamber was developed and in 1891 physicians in the US began to treat nerve disorders using hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
In the 20th century, oxygen therapy is also being used. The Dutch J. Boer is considered the founder of modern hyperbaric oxygen therapy. In experiments carried out since 1956 Boer proved that hyperbaric oxygen can saturate blood plasma with oxygen so much that the physical transport of dissolved oxygen in plasma is sufficient to maintain life of almost bled out experimental animals. He described his trials in the book “Life Without Blood” published in 1960.
The medical world has been there by introduced to the possibility of maintaining life without hemoglobin by inhalation of hyperbaric oxygen. His study became the cornerstone of the history of modern hyperbaric medicine.
In the 1960s, oxygen therapy became part of the medical practice due to its healing effect on the treatment of gas gangrene and carbon monoxide poisoning. In 1963 the first International Congress on Hyperbaric Medicine in Amsterdam was held. In 1965, even in the former Czechoslovakia, in Ostrava, a multi-seat chamber was built based on the proposal of professor Boer. Gradually, oxygen therapy is being used in the wider field. 1970s sees renaissance when oxygen treatment options began to be explored more extensively. In 1988, the International Hyperbaric Society is established. In 2004 hyperbaric medicine became an independent medical discipline.
