History of the discovery of anaesthesia / by J. Marion Sims.

  • Sims, J. Marion (James Marion), 1813-1883.
Date:
1879
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: History of the discovery of anaesthesia / by J. Marion Sims. 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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    rounding parts. The patient was insensible to pain during the operation, until the last attachment of the cyst was separated, when he exhibited signs of slight suffering, but asserted after the operation was over that the sensation of pain was so slight as scarcely to be perceived. In this opera- tion the inhalation of ether ceased before the first incission was made. In a certificate sworn to b}' James M. Venable on the 33d July, 1849, ho says : In the early part of the year (1843), the young men of Jefferson, and the country adjoining, were in the habit of inhaling ether for its ex- ilarating effects, and I inhaled it myself frequently for that purpose, and was very fond of its use. While attending the Academy, I was fre- quently in the office of Dr. C. W. Long, and having two tumors on the side and rather back of my neck, I several times spoke to him about the propriety of cutting them out, but postponed the operation from time to time. On one occasion, we had some conversation about the probability that the tumors might be cut out while I was under the influence' of sul- phuric ether, without my experiencing pain, and he proposed operating on me while under its influence. I agreed to have one tumor cut out, and had the operation performed that evening (afternoon) after school was dismissed. This was m the early part of the Spring of 1843. I com- menced inhaling the ether before the operation was commenced, and con- tinued it until the operation was over. I did not feel the slightest pain from the operation, and could not believe the tumor was removed until it was shown to me. A month or two after this time. Dr. C. W. Long cut out the other tumor situated on the same side of my neck. In this operation, I did not feel the least pain until the last cut was made, when I felt a little pain. In this operation I stopped inhaling the ether before the operation was finished. I inhaled the ether in both instances from a towel, which was the common method of taking it. Dr. Lcmg's four students, Wilhite, Groves, and the two Longs, also E. S. Rawls (now Dr. Rawis) and Andrew J. Thurmond, were present and as- sisted at the operation. Dr. Wilhite tells me that the etherization of Venable was as complete as it is ever made now-a-days, and that Venable always declared he felt no pain during the operation. On the 3d July, 1843, Dr. Long amputated the toe of a negro boy, Jack, belonging to Mrs. Hemphill. Jack felt no pain, having been completely anaesthetized. On the 9th September, 1843, Dr. Long exsected, without pain, three small cystic tumors from the head of Mrs. Mary Vincent, who was etherized for the purpose. On the 8th of January, 1845, Dr. Long amputated two fingers for a negro boy belonging to Mr. Ralph Bailey, Sr., the patient being fully ether- ized and feeling no pain whatever. Morton's friends have been from the outset clamorous and persistent in proclaiming to the world '• that Morton was the first man who ever pro- duced complete anajsthesia for surgical operations. The facts above stated prove incontestably that they were mistaken ; and before we get through it will be shown that they were doubly mistaken ; for it will be established beyond controversy that Wells produced anaesthesia by nitrous oxide gas long before Morton did it with ether. Long's anaesthesia with sulphuric ether was on the 30th March, 1842. Wells' anjesthesia with nitrous oxide gas was on the 11th Decemberi 1844. Morton's anaesthesia with sulphuric ether was on the 30th September, 1846. Thus we see that Long ante-dates Wells two years and eight months' and Morton and Jackson four years and six months.