
1 

(1) This order may be cited as the Medicines (Breathing Gases) Order 1977 and shall come into operation on 4th October 1977.
(2) In this order unless the context otherwise requires “the Act” means the Medicines Act 1968, and other expressions have the same meanings as in the Act.
(3) Except in so far as the context otherwise requires, any reference in this order to any provision of any enactment shall be construed as a reference to that provision as amended or extended by any enactment or instrument and as including a reference to any provision which may re-enact or replace it.
(4) The rules for the construction of Acts of Parliament contained in the Interpretation Act 1889 shall apply for the purposes of the interpretation of this order as they apply for the purposes of the interpretation of an Act of Parliament.
2 

(1) The substances described in the following paragraph are hereby specified for the purposes of section 130(5)(c) of the Act.
(2) The substances referred to in the preceding paragraph are substances whether compressed or not being oxygen, air or any mixture of both or of either or both with any inert gas or gases or with nitrogen and being manufactured, sold, supplied, imported or exported solely for use by being administered to one or more human beings, including such administration by a human being to himself, subjected or likely to be subjected to conditions in which respiration is or is likely to be adversely affected whether by reason of abnormal atmospheric pressure, lack or contamination of air or otherwise, such administration not being for the purpose of treatment or diagnosis of any disease caused or aggravated by such conditions.
David Ennals
Secretary of State for Social Services
5th August 1977Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Wales,
S. B. Jones
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales
18th August 1977Bruce Millan
Secretary of State for Scotland
1st September 1977Sealed with the official seal of the Department of Health and Social Services for Northern Ireland this 2nd day of September 1977.
N. Dugdale
Permanent Secretary
