Experimental Asthma Treatment to be launched in cave

[Wayne Harrison]

Bulgarian Doctor to Launch Experimental Asthma Treatment in Cave

Sofia News Agency
10 August 2007, Friday


Asthma treatment in one of the largest caves in Bulgaria, Magura, results to be highly successful, the head of the allergy department of the Alexandrovska Hospital said on Friday for Darik News.

Some 30 years ago such experimental asthma treatment was carried out in the Magura cave and the results were incredible, doctor Vassil Dimitrov said. Then, 35 people with asthma spent 12 nights sleeping in the cave, the permanent temperature of the air inside being 12 degrees C.

A total of 220 people were treated this way. The innovative treatment of asthma resulted in diminishing and less frequent constrictions, the patients started taking less medication, but the treatment is subsidiary of the disease, not the basic one, doctor Dimitrov added.

Now Dimitrov's team is looking for sponsorship to renew the experimental asthma treatment. The money is needed to renovate a building, where the patients will spend the day. In night the patients will go to sleep in the cave under the strict surveillance of doctors.