An account of a new anaesthetic agent, as a substitute for sulphuric ether in surgery and midwifery / By J.Y. Simpson.

  • Simpson, James Young, 1811-1870.
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An account of a new anaesthetic agent, as a substitute for sulphuric ether in surgery and midwifery / By J.Y. Simpson. 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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    held gently, however, by Dr. Simpson, and obliged to inhale. After a few inspirations he ceased to cry or move, and fell into a sound snoring sleep. A deep incision was now made down to the diseased bone ; and, by the use of the forceps nearly the Whole of the radius, in the state of sequestrum, was extracted. During this operation, and the subse- quent examination of the wound by the finger, not the slighest evidence of the suffering of pain was given. He still slept on soundly, and was carried back to his ward in that state. Half an hour after- wards, he was found in bed, like a child newly awakened from a refreshing sleep, with a clear merry eye, and placid expression of countenance, wholly unlike what is found to obtain after ordi- nary etherization. On being questioned by a Gae- lic interpreter who was found among the students, he stated that he had never felt any pain, and that he felt none now. On being shown his wounded arm, he looked much surprised, but neither cried nor otherwise expressed the slightest alarm. Case II.—A soldier who had an opening in the cheek—the result of exfoliation of the jaw—was next made to inhale. At first he showed some signs of moving his hands too freely ; but soon also fell into a state of sleep and snoring. A free inci- sion was made across the lower jaw, and from this the dense adhering integuments were freely dissect-