Volume 1

On the inhalation of the vapour of ether in surgical operations : containing a description of the various stages of etherization, and a statement of the result of nearly eighty operations in which ether has been employed in St. George's and University College Hospitals / By John Snow.

  • Snow, John, 1813-1858.
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the inhalation of the vapour of ether in surgical operations : containing a description of the various stages of etherization, and a statement of the result of nearly eighty operations in which ether has been employed in St. George's and University College Hospitals / By John Snow. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    pension at various temperatures, in order to regulate the strength of the vaporized air as we wish. The opportunity was afforded me of using the appa- ratus soon after it was made, very frequently, in St. George’s Hospital, and I believe that this was the first institution in which the vapour of ether was constantly applied with uniform and complete success in surgical operations. Several alterations in the details of the instrument were made, after it was delineated in the medical journals in the early part of the year, but the followmg drawings shew. the form in which I have used it for the last three months. —(See engraving next page, of which the following is the description.) A. Box of japanned tin or plated copper, of the size and form of a thick octavo volume, serving as a water- bath when the apparatus is in use, and at other times containing the elastic tube and face-pieces. Attached to this by clasps, and moveable at pleasure, is B. The spiral ether chamber, of thin tinned brass, or copper plated with silver. C. Opening in ditto for putting im and pouring out ether, and for screwing on, D. Brass tube, by which the air enters which the patient inhales. H. Another opening in ether chamber for screwing on F. Elastic tube about three feet in length. G. Face-piece. H. Inspiratory valve of ditto. I. The same face-piece compressed, to fit it to a smaller face. S. Section of spiral ether chamber, B.