The ether discovery / [by Richard H. Dana, jr.].

  • Dana, Richard Henry, Jr., 1815-1882.
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The ether discovery / [by Richard H. Dana, jr.]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    LITTELL'S LIVING AGE.—No. 201.—18 MARCH, 1848. TO THE PUBLIC. The subject of the ether discovery has now been before the public for more than a year ; pam- phlets have been published, and evidence in various shapes exhibited, by those who claim to be the dis- coverers ; and it may now fairly be presumed that all the material evidence bearing upon the question has been produced. The trustees of the Massachusetts General Hospital, a board of twelve gentlemen of the highest consideration in the community, have made a thorough investigation of the question, through their committee, and published a unani- mous report. This report has been unanimously accepted by the corporation. These gentlemen have had great advantages, independent of their personal characters and qualities, for conducting a thorough and impartial inquiry. They are on the spot where the discovery was made, have had personal interviews with the two claimants, (Drs. Jackson and Morton,) and with the most important witnesses. They are none of them physicians, or engaged in similar pursuits with either of the claimants ; and whatever influences may attend previous scientific distinction and personal ac- quaintance, were against the claimant in whose favor they have given their decision. One of the claimants, Dr. Jackson, has refused to submit his cause to any tribunal whatever ; so that we can hardly hope that a decision will be obtained, carrying with it more weight than that which we now have before us. Under these circumstances, a number of persons, satisfied of Dr. Morton's right to the title of dis- coverer, and desirous of having all the material facts, arguments, and documents, collected and put into a single pamphlet, in an orderly manner, and under some degree of personal responsibility, have requested me to perform this duty. I undertake it as a professional service, and I desire to have it so understood by the public. I am responsible so far as this : that I feel bound to thoroughness and ac- curacy, and to introduce no evidence that I do not believe to be worthy of credit. Richard H. Dana, Jr. 30 Court St., Feb. 22, 1848. CHAPTER I. PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE ON THIS SUBJECT NATURE OF THE DISCOVERY. In order to an understanding of the question at issue, it is necessary to direct our attention to two points. 1st. What was known on the subject, before this discovery was made? 2d. What is the precise thing that makes this a discovery ? Unless we start with a clear idea on these two CCI. LIVING AGE. VOL. XVI. 34 points, we can examine the evidence and reason- ings to very little purpose. I. What was known before this discovery 1 In the specification accompanying the first pa- tent, signed by both Dr. Jackson and Dr. Morton, is this passage— It has been known that the vapors of some, if not all, of these chemical distillations, particularly those of sulphuric ether, when breathed or intro- duced into the lungs of an animal, have produced a peculiar effect upon its nervous system; one which has been supposed lo be analogous to what is usu- ally termed intoxication. It has never (to our knowledge) been known until our discovery, that the inhalation of such vapors, (particularly those of sulphuric ether,) would produce insensibility to pain, or such a slate of quiet of nervous action as to render a person or animal incapable to a great extent, if not entirely, of experiencing pain while under the action of the knife or other instrument of operation of a surgeon, calculated to produce pain. This is our discovery. In other words, both the contending parties admit that it was known that the inhaling of ether vapors would produce a peculiar effect, but deny that it was known that this peculiar effect amounted to that extraordinary degree of insensi- bility—that death of all sensibility—which the experiments in Boston demonstrated. Dr. J. C. Warren, in his work on Etherization, (Boston, 1848,) says, (p. 2,) The general prop- erties of ether have been known for more than a century, and the effect of its inhalation, in pro- ducing exhilaration and insensibility, has been understood for many years, not only by the scien- tific, but by young men in colleges and schools, and in the shop of the apothecary, who have fre- quently employed it for these purposes. Dr. Beddoes, in his work on Factitious Airs, published at Bristol in 1795-6, gives several com- munications from Dr. Pearson, on the inhalation of ether. Sir Humphrey Davy, who had experimented in this direction, says: As nitrous oxide, in its extensive operation, appears capable of destroying physical pain, it may probably be used with advan- tage during surgical operations in which no great effusion of blood takes place. Dr. C. T. Jackson, in the pamphlet published under his sanction by Dr. M. Gay, in 1847, says, that he was early impressed with the remarks of Davy concerning the remedial agency of gaseous matters. Dr. Jackson again, in the same pamphlet, p. 5, distinctly admits that insensibility produced by ether, was known to physiologists, and says the question was, whether this insensibility was of such