Oh Excellent Air Bag: Under the Influence of Nitrous Oxide, 1799-1920

by Adam Green (editor), Mike Jay (Introduction)

The summer of 1799 saw a new fad take root in a certain circle of British society: the inhalation of nitrous oxide, also known as "laughing gas." The pioneer of these experiments was a young Humphry Davy, future President of the Royal Society, whose descriptions of being under the influence, as well as those penned by his clique, are among the most remarkable in the history of science. From its subsequent use in "laughing gas shows" through to its eventual employment in anaesthetics, the "delectable air" would go on to inspire more than a century of extraordinary writings that combined the scientific, the poetic, and the philosophical in a wholly new way. This volume collects the most striking examples of both these first-hand accounts and the secondary literature they spawned, including writings by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Southey, William James, and Theodore Dreiser. Far from the images of balloon-huffing festival-goers and post-dental nonsense that nitrous oxide tends to conjure today, this unique anthology reveals the fascinating pedigree of the gas - a history at the very heart of the Romantic movement and one of the great early blooms of psychedelic literature. In addition to the historical texts, the volume boasts a new introductory essay by Mike Jay and an extensive selection of images, including instructional material from early anaesthetic handbooks, and satirical prints from the likes of James Gilray and George Cruikshank.

Genres: History

146 pages, Paperback

Published July 11, 2016

Reviews

[ar · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful read. Some favorite quotes:


"We must either invent new terms to express these new and peculiar sensations, or attach new ideas to old ones, before we can communicate intelligibly with each other on the operation of this extraordinary gas."

"How do you feel?"
"I feel like the sound of a harp"

“There are no differences but differences of degree between different degrees of difference and no difference.”

[Augusta · Rating 2 out of 5]

As just like what the marketing copy promises, Oh Excellent Air Bag is a collection of pieces about the origins of the practice of inhaling Nitrous Oxide, the act of scientists using themselves as lab rats, and examples of the effects of such inhalation in a plethora of daily life ways: from anesthesia, literature, to entertainment. The writing, however, is tedious most of the times and makes reading such a thin volume a chore. To save yourself but still get the essence of this “movement”, try this essay by the same PDR.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightful little collection of fascinating essays and "reports" from 1800s era scientists and poets who tripped balls on laughing gas. The anonymous essay from a 1920s edition of The Atlantic was a particular sparkling gem of wit and wisdom, and I enjoyed the stories of "laughing gas shows" that were a part of trashy Victorian-era entertainment.

[Gina Racioppo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another interesting book from the PDR Press. it's a series of primary source writings about early uses of laughing gas. It's a fascinating read if you like obscure history. Some of the readings are a little dry in places, but overall, it's a very enjoyable read.