Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous Oxide F.A.Q.
--- What is the common name of nitrous oxide?
Nitrous Oxide or N2O, is better known as Laughing Gas.
--- When was nitrous oxide discovered?
Joseph Priestly discovered nitrous oxide. In 1772 he reported the isolation of a mixture of nitrogen oxides that he called dephlogisticated nitrous air, later changed to nitrous oxide. He did several experiments with the gas but never inhaled it.
--- Does nitrous oxide have any medical uses?
It is used frequently by dentists who preform dental surgery and is also sometimes used during childbirth when mixed 50/50 with oxygen. This forms a weak general anesthetic that has a very low short-term toxicity.
--- When were the medical uses discovered?
Less than a decade after Joseph Priestly discovered nitrous oxide, the Pneumatic Institution (a small medical facility in Bristol England) conducted the first tests into the mind altering qualities of the drug in the 1780's.
One of the properties noted was that nitrous oxide was an analgesic (it decreased the sensation of pain in most users). However, it would be several decades before the medical benefits of nitrous oxide were realized. In the meantime, nitrous was a chemical looking for a use.
Various scientists and others were doing experiments with the gas and its use as a recreational drug spread. In the 1840's nitrous oxide was introduced to the USA. By that time, it was known as laughing gas because of the way people acted under its influence. In the US, side show entertainers gave laughing gas demonstrations.
During one of these demonstrations a man inhaled some of the gas and began to ram his leg into a heavy piece of furniture, unaware of the damage done to his leg, the man continued to moving around the stage until the effects of the gas wore off. After the gas wore off, the man became aware of the damage that had done to his leg.
There happened to be a dentist by the name of Horace Wells at the demonstration. He realized the potential for laughing gas in dentistry and began to use it on patients, with excellent results. Wells became a pioneer of surgical anesthesia but started doing some nitrous oxide experiments on himself.
He liked the effects of nitrous and soon started using ether and chloroform regularly. One day he got into an altercation and threw some acid on the clothing of a group of prostitutes. This was apparently in retaliation for an attack on a friend of his.
He was put in jail and two days later he killed himself by cutting a major vein in his leg and bleeding to death. He had inhaled a vial of chloroform to prepare himself.
In spite of the tragic circumstances of his death, the insight of Horace Wells introduced the use of laughing gas to dental surgery and it gained wide popularity in the 1860's. Laughing gas is still being used by dentists today.
In the 1860's laughing gas was being used as a recreational drug by medical students, hospital workers, and philosophers. (reference 1)
--- Does nitrous oxide have any spiritual uses?
William James (a 19th century psychologist and philosopher) believed that inhalation caused the user a powerful mystic and spiritual experience but the memory faded so quickly that it was hard to explain the effect to others.
- in 1882 he first described his experiments with the drug
- in 1898 he published an article in the Psychological Review titled Consciousness Under Nitrous Oxide
- in 1902 he recounted the experience in his greatest work titled The Varieties of Religious Experience
- in 1910, in the last essay he completed, he implied that nitrous oxide had an abiding influence on his thinking.
A paragraph from The Varieties of Religious Experience:
Nitrous oxide and ether, especially nitrous oxide, when sufficiently diluted with air, stimulate the mystical consciousness in an extraordinary degree. Depths beyond depth of truth seems revealed to the inhaler. (reference 2)
--- How is nitrous oxide used today?
Besides being used medically, laughing gas is used moderately in the United States in the psychedelic community as an inhalant. It was often sold at Grateful Dead and Phish concerts as Hippie Crack. This term was used because of it similarities with crack such as the psychological addiction and the short-term duration of its effects.
In the dairy industry it is used as a foaming agent as it mixes so well with the cream. It also stops bacteria from spreading and since it has no odor or taste, it is perfect for any food industry. Since it dissolves so well in fatty cell membrane, the gas mixes with the cream and then as it propels the cream out of the can, it expands and whips it.
N2O can also help prevent "the bends" in deep-sea diving. This happens when the diver is brought up too fast. By using the nitrous, it allows nitrogen in the blood to slowly enter back in the tissues, instead of causing bubbles. Some instructors will suggest this to their divers.
In order to increase power in car racing, the gas is sometimes injected into the air intake of the car. Even though it is not flammable, it allows more oxygen. The engine can then burn more fuel and air. This results in a smaller, denser charge that can reduce detonation and increase power to the engine.
--- What does it feel like using nitrous oxide?
When inhaled, nitrous oxide can cause:
- a sense of well being
- a disoriented feeling
- deeper mental thoughts
- more tolerance to pain
- possible increase in libido
- possible visual hallucinations
- throbbing or pulsating audible hallucinations
Users should discharge the gas into a balloon or whipped-cream charger before inhaling. After filling a balloon with nitrous, you twist the balloon neck to make sure none escapes. Let all the air out of your lungs, and inhale the nitrous out of the balloon. It will probably feel a bit cold and may have a slight sweet taste.
Hold it in your lungs as long as you can. The effects will start within 5 to 10 seconds. Usually, you first notice that your vision becomes dim and slightly hazy, as if you had a veil over you head. Then, it sounds like helicopters. This is an auditory hallucination that almost everyone who does nitrous experiences.
It will start out sounding like a small helicopter, and end up sounding like a full attack squadron. The effects will last anywhere from 20 to 40 seconds, depending on how long you can hold your breath.
You can end this effect by letting your breath go and start breathing in regular air. This will kill the effects in 5 seconds. Once you start breathing normal air again, the effects will start wearing off.
You may notice multi-colored fractal images everywhere. That is normal under nitrous, it's one of the most common visual hallucinations. A nitrous trip may feel like as much as 10 minutes, when in fact it is only 20 seconds.
When the helicopters start getting quieter, you know the ride is ending. After the 20 to 40 seconds of full effect, there's a 10 to 20 second descent phase where you're coming down. The helicopters will gradually go away, your vision will return to normal, and you will probably want to do another charger.
--- How long do the effects of nitrous oxide last?
The effect of nitrous oxide only last approximately 1 to 5 minutes per lungful and dissipates quickly. Some residual effects may last up to several minutes later.
--- What should a nitrous oxide user be cautious of?
See this article on the dangers of nitrous oxide use.
--- Isn't nitrous oxide a loser drug like glue?
This is a common misconception due to the fact that nitrous is often classified as an inhalant like glue, gas, and other similar chemicals.
--- Is nitrous oxide legal?
Technically it is not illegal to possess nitrous oxide in the USA, it is an unscheduled drug. However, in many states it is illegal to use nitrous oxide for recreational purposes. If you use it to get high, you are committing a crime. Possession of nitrous oxide with intent of inhaling is illegal in many areas, unless you are under the care of a dentist or doctor.
--- Famous nitrous oxide users
from The Book Of Lists:
- Allen Ginsberg, American Poet
- Gregori Corso, American Poet
- Humphrey Davy, English Chemist
- Ken Kesey, American Writer
- Peter Mark Roget, Author of Roget's Thesaurus
- Peter Ouspenski, Russian disciple of Gudjieff
- Robert Southey, English Poet
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge, English Poet
- Theodore Dreiser, American Writer and Journalist
- Thomas Wedgewood, English Physicist
- William James, American Philosopher
- Winston Churchill, English Politician
--- Use of laughing gas use in movies, tv shows, etc.
from the wikipedia website:
- In The Pink Panther Strikes Again, Inspector Clouseau, disguised as a dentist, administers laughing gas to Dreyfus and himself and ends up removing the wrong tooth.
- In The Little Shop of Horrors, one of the main characters dies from inhalation.
- In Mission Impossible II, oxygen masks are used on a commercial flight. Instead of oxygen they dispense nitrous oxide, rendering the pilot and passengers unconscious.
- In The Munsters, Herman sneaks into the hospital to visit Eddie after hours and is given laughing gas by the staff. Lily thinks that he was out drinking. This was from the second season of the show, episode name: Operation Herman
- Nitrous is one of the main weapons of the Joker in Batman
- Two of the main characters in Taxi get trapped in a room filled with the gas.
- The main character of Zodiac, Sangamon Taylor, uses it as a drug.
- In Black Sheep, the two man characters borrow a police car and its boosters leak after hitting a pothole and intoxicates the duo.
- There is a song by Quiet Riot called Laughing Gas.
- A movie and a book by P.G. Wodehouse, are called Laughing Gas.
References
reference 1 - laughing gas
reference 2 - the varieties of religious experience
copyright © www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/
Books Laughing Gas
This is a good book for recreational users. It covers the 200 year history of nitrous oxide with information on dangers, precautions, safe use, recent findings, and more.
Personal accounts and thoughts about the laughing gas experience are contributed by various authors. Illustrations by Robert Crumb, it also includes various photos and lithographs related to nitrous oxide.
Laughing Gas