History of inhalation therapy.

Ancient man discovered medicinal plants by observation and experience. Inhaling the smoke or odours of some plants was a frequent trial to get pleasure and relief of body troubles.Local therapy was the prevailing means of treatment in ancient time. So nearly all respiratory troubles were treated by one form or other of inhalation. Many types of snuffs, lotions, inhalants and insufflations were known at that time.The advent of public baths by the ancient Egyptians, which was improved by the Romans, and then well developed by the Arabs, formed a wider effective use of inhalation therapy.General inhalation anaesthesia that was firstly introduced by the Arabs got more development by the Europeans, with the introduction of the newly discovered anaesthetic gases.The highest achievement of progress of inhalation therapy began at the ninth century when the Arab physicians introduced many therapeutic agents to inhalation therapy.During the subsequent centuries more medications were added, new techniques were invented that gave wider indications for that form of therapy. The twentieth century witnessed the introduction of new therapeutic agents and higher technological devices for inhalation therapy. This has led to the development of the new medical speciality, the inhalation therapy.