Discovery by the late Dr. Horace Wells of the applicability of nitrous oxyd gas, sulphuric ether and other vapors in surgical operations : nearly two years before the patented discovery of Drs. Charles T. Jackson and W.T.G. Morton.

  • Wales, J.
Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Discovery by the late Dr. Horace Wells of the applicability of nitrous oxyd gas, sulphuric ether and other vapors in surgical operations : nearly two years before the patented discovery of Drs. Charles T. Jackson and W.T.G. Morton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    I hereby certify, That Horace Wells, dentist, lias, for more than two years, had the reputation, in this city, of having made a discovery which enabled him, and others, to extract teeth without pain, by the use of exhilarating gas. I have conversed with seve- ral gentlemen, whose reputation for honor and veracity places them above suspicion, who have had these operations performed by the said Wells, in the fall of 1844 ; and they assure me that the opera- tion was attended with no pain whatever. There is no doubt in my mind that said Wells discovered and made the first practical appli- cation of this principle in surgical operations. By comparing dates of the several claimants, there can remain no doubt of this fact. f S. FULLER, M. D. Hartford, March 25th, 1847. To whomsoever it may concern : We, the undersigned, physicians of the city of Hartford, State of Connecticut, U. S. A., do hereby certify, that we know, and have conversed with, the persons whose names are appended to the above affidavits, viz., Wm. H. Burleigh, J. G. Wells, F. C. Goodrich, Mylo Lee, and place implicit reliance upon the statements made therein, by each of them, to wit: that the operation of extracting one or more teeth, without producing any pain, whatever, was performed upon each of them, by Horace Wells, surgeon dentist, of this city, at or about the time specified by them respectively, in their several affidavits above referred to. We take pleasure, also, in expressing our entire confidence in the integrity of the said Horace Wells, than whom no person in our city is more favorably known, as a gentleman of honor and in- tegrity- We know, moreover, that he has for several years past successfully devoted himself to subjects pertaining to invention and discovery. S. FULLER, M. D. DAVID S. DODGE, M. D. GEORGE SUMNER, M. D. P. W. ELLSWORTH, M. I). BENJ. ROGERS, M. D. GURDON W. RUSSELL, M. 1). J. B. BERESFORD, M. D. G. B. HAWLEY, M. D. H. ALLEN GRANT, M. D. E. K. HUNT, M. 1). WM. JAMES BARRY, M. D. DAVID CRARY, M. D. E. E. MARCY, M. D. JOHN SCHUE, M. D. C. A. TAFT, M. D. HENRY LEE, M. D.