William T. G. Morton, M.D. -- Sulphuric ether. 1852 : Referred to a select committee : Dr. William H. Bissell, of Illinois, chairman : The select committee to whom was referred the memorial of Dr. William T.G. Morton, asking remuneration from Congress for the discovery of the anaesthetic or pain-subduing properties of sulphuric ether.

Date:
[1852]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: William T. G. Morton, M.D. -- Sulphuric ether. 1852 : Referred to a select committee : Dr. William H. Bissell, of Illinois, chairman : The select committee to whom was referred the memorial of Dr. William T.G. Morton, asking remuneration from Congress for the discovery of the anaesthetic or pain-subduing properties of sulphuric ether. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    shoulder and the elbow. At the request of Dr. Warren I did the opera- tion. The patient was insensible during the whole time, and was en- tirely unconscious. The operation lasted about seven minutes, but could not be regarded as a severe one. These are the first surgical operations, except those of dentistry, that were ever performed on patients while under the influence of the ether. On the 1st of November I took charge of the surgical department of the hospital; and on the following day, in conversation with Dr. War- ren, I stated that I did not intend to allow the medical patients to inhale this preparation of Dr. Morton (for we were then ignorant of the precise nature of it) during my period of service, unless all the surgeons of the hospital were told what it was, and were satisfied of the safety of using it. Dr. Warren agreed with me as to the propriety of this course'. On the 6th of November, Dr. Morton called at my house and asked me if I was willing to have his preparation inhaled by a patient, whose limb I was to amputate on the following day. I told him of the con- versation I had had with with Dr. Warren on the subject. Dr. Morton at once said that he was ready to let us know what the article was, and to give the surgeons of the hospital the right to use it there when they pleased. He added, that he would send me a letter in the course of the day to this effect. I requested him to address it to Dr. Warren, as he was the senior surgeon, and told him that I would submit it to my colleagues at a consultation to be held on the following morning. He wrote the letter accordingly; the subject was maturely considered by the surgeons, who were unanimously of opinion that the ether should be inhaled by the individual who was to undergo the operation that day. The patient was a girl of twenty years of age, named Alice Mohan, who had suffered for two years from a disease of the knee, which termi- nated in suppuration of the joint and caries of the bones. For some months before the operation, her constitutional symptoms had become threatening, and the removal of the limb seemed to be the only chance for her life. The ether was administered by Dr. Morton. In a little more than three minutes she was brought under the influence of it; the limb was removed, and all the vessels were tied but the last, which was the sixth, before she gave any indication of consciousnes's or suffering. She then groaned and cried out faintly. She afterwards said that she was wholly unconscious and insensible up to that time, and she seemed to be much surprised when she was told that her limb was off. She re- covered rapidlv, suffering less than patients usuall)'- do after amputation of the thigh, regained her strength and flesh, and was discharged well on the 22d of December. Nor are there wanting abundant contemporary papers attesting the discovery, recognising Dr. Morton as its ^luthor, and showing its rapid advance to the full confidence of the public. (See Appendix.) We give below a copy of the letter written by Dr. Hayward, at the request of Dr. Warren, inviting Dr. Morton to attend at the first of the above named surgical operations, and administer to the patient: Dear Sir : I write at the request of Dr. J. C. Warren, to invite )'ou to be present on Friday morning at 10 o'clock at the hospital, to admin-