Chloroform or ether?

[major bill]

By the Civil War, doctors were using both ether and chloroform when performing operations. I understand that Union doctors seemed to prefer chloroform, is there a reason why? Confederate surgeons also preferred chloroform over ether, but because many Confederate medical records were burned, the exact level of Confederate ether and chloroform use is dificult to pin down. Ether is highly flammable and this may have played a roll. Also ether is slower and it take more ether to prepare a solder for an operation.

 

[RedRover]

From Union veteran Charles B. Johnson in "Muskets and Medicine" (1917):

He describes his division hospital before Vicksburg:

 

[lelliott19]

Here's a thread from a while back that will likely shed some light

Ami's SOA - Timeline: Use of Ether and Chloroform Anesthesia | Medical Care

Nominated by: @DBF Started by: @lelliott19 Laura's research was extensive and it’s a fascinating topic. Let’s face it - most everyone on the site during their lifetime will have some type of anesthesia administered. It’s interesting to see the “hits and misses” that went before us. Use...

civilwartalk.com

 

[Barbara Franco]

Another advantage of chloroform was that it was less flammable. Surgery by candlelight could be dangerous using ether.

 

[Old Soldier]

It would probably depend on the situation. Any port in a storm. The extracts above give a good idea of other alternatives, although I suspect whiskey was also used quite often as would be the old cloth rag between the teeth, although that was hardly for the 'relief of pain'.

 

[major bill]

It appears that the vast majority of Civil War operations were done using chloroform or ether. In some rare cases the doctor would have neither chloroform or ether and whiskey might have been used.

 

[rpkennedy]

Chloroform has its own risks. If not properly stored (cool and dry), it will change into phosgene which can kill the patient. Some believe that that is how Freeman McGilvery died in August 1864.

Ryan

 

[Mk VII]

Ether is a sickly-sweet tasting substance - not nice at all (had it for dentistry in the '70s)