lelliott19
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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 of anesthesia seems to be a common source of confusion related to Civil War and pre-Civil War medicine. A detailed timeline demonstrating the progression might be useful in helping readers better understand the evolution of anesthesia. There was great debate among physicians regarding the advisability of using ether and chloroform. Deaths resulting from the anesthetics were widely publicized and contributed to physicians' reluctance to adopt their widespread use. It's important to note that, by 1861, most physicians in the United States had finally come on board, and, during the Civil War, almost all operations and amputations were performed under the influence of general anesthesia.
Timeline: Use of Ether & Chloroform for Anesthesia
1842 - Georgia physician Crawford W. Long becomes the first physician to use ether as a general anesthetic during surgery.
1846 - Boston dentist William T.G. Morton publicly demonstrates the use of ether as an effective surgical anesthetic.
1847 - Scottish physician Sir James Young Simpson becomes the first to use chloroform as an anesthetic.
1847 – Dentists at the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery perform chloroform experiments.
1847-1848 - Military surgeons begin occasional use of inhalation anesthetics on the battlefield during the Mexican War.
1848 – First fatality reported from use of chloroform (15 yo girl.) Fatalities widely publicized; physicians debate benefit v. risk of both anesthetics.
1848 – Experiments conducted in Liverpool, England; chloroform is available for purchase by physicians in Boston, MA; use of chloroform is demonstrated for the first time at the University of Virginia Medical College.
1849 – Ether is officially issued by the US Military for the first time; chloroform becomes available for purchase by physicians in Richmond, VA. Pennsylvania physician Washington L. Atlee utilizes a mixture of ether and chloroform to remove a large ovarian tumor at the new Pennsylvania College of Medicine.
1853 – Queen Victoria undergoes anesthesia during the birth of her 8th child.
1854-1856 - Chloroform is used almost exclusively by the British during the Crimean War; chloroform emerges as the anesthetic of choice there because it is thought to be faster-acting and lower risk. Debate continues among physicians regarding the "Dangers of Using Ether and Chloroform."
1857- As if there wasn't already enough confusion, Dr. Snow introduces "Amylene" - a new anesthetic that he claims is safer and more effective than ether or chloroform - at the Medical Society of London.
1859 - The Imperial Society of Medicine, of Lyons declares that ether is the anesthetic of choice.
1860 - Use of chloroform still considered "dangerous." Some physicians still reluctant to utilize ether or chloroform.
Sources:Images - wikimedia commons for free reuse.
Ether & Chloroform https://www.history.com/topics/inventions/ether-and-chloroform
Newspaper articles provided below:
Alexandria Gazette. (Alexandria, D.C.), December 25, 1847, page 2.
The Daily Union.(Washington, DC), January 12, 1848, page 1.
Richmond Enquirer. (Richmond, VA), January 28, 1848, page 2.
Baltimore Commercial Journal. (Baltimore, MD), February 05, 1848, page 5.
Richmond Enquirer. (Richmond, VA), February 06, 1849, page 3.
Jeffersonian Republican.(Stroudsburg, Pa.), April 12, 1849, page 3.
Daily American Organ.(Washington, D.C.), December 11, 1854, page 2.
Reprinted from the New York Evening Post in The Lancaster Ledger. (Lancaster, S.C.),January 17, 1855, page 1.
The Western Democrat. (Charlotte, NC), August 02, 1859, page 1.
New-York Daily Tribune., August 24, 1857, page 6.
Yorkville enquirer.(Yorkville, SC), February 02, 1860, page 2.
Watertown Republican.(Watertown, Wisconsin), December 07, 1860, page 2.
Dentists Harris and Bond of the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery experiment with the use of chloroform 1847.
Use of chloroform as an anesthetic is first demonstrated at the University of Virginia Medical School in 1848.
Experiments with chloroform continue in Liverpool England in February 1848.
Baltimore Commercial Journal. (Baltimore, MD), February 05, 1848, page 5.
Chloroform becomes available to physicians in Boston, MA in January 1848.
Chloroform becomes available to physicians in Richmond, VA in 1849.
Richmond Enquirer. (Richmond, VA), February 06, 1849, page 3.
Prof. Washington L Atlee uses a mixture of ether and chloroform to destroy the sensation of pain but not consciousness as he removes an 8 pound ovarian tumor in Pennsylvania 1849.
Jeffersonian Republican.(Stroudsburg, Pa.), April 12, 1849, page 3.
Debate continues over the safety of using ether and chloroform as anesthetics in 1854.
Daily American Organ.(Washington, D.C.), December 11, 1854, page 2.
Debate continues on the dangers of using ether and chloroform 1855.
Reprinted from the New York Evening Post in The Lancaster Ledger. (Lancaster, S.C.),January 17, 1855, page 1.
As if there wasn't already enough confusion, Dr. Snow introduces "Amylene" - a new anesthetic that he claims is safer and more effective.
New-York Daily Tribune., August 24, 1857, page 6.
The Imperial Society of Medicine, of Lyons declares that ether is anesthesia of choice 1859.
The Western Democrat. (Charlotte, NC), August 02, 1859, page 1.
Chloroform still considered "dangerous" Some physicians still reluctant to use anesthetics.
Yorkville enquirer.(Yorkville, SC), February 02, 1860, page 2.
More on the dangers of chloroform - 1860.
Watertown Republican.(Watertown, Wisconsin), December 07, 1860, page 2.
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