Dr. Wells, the discoverer of anaesthesia.

Date:
1870
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Wells, the discoverer of anaesthesia. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    W. T. G. Morton. To him he applies for assistance, so that his discovery may be brought before the notice of the great men of the metropolis. Morton gave him the opportunity of using the nitrous oxide in the presence of the medical class of Harvard University. The tooth was extracted, but the patient screamed ; and although he afterwards declared that he did not feel the pain, the students hissed the trembling adventurer (the unknown dentist) from the hall, and back to his home, heart-broken, friendless, but not despairing, came Horace Wells. “The tale is almost told. Morton sees his chance. Wells had proved that sulphuric ether has the wonderful power, and fearing to repeat an experiment which had just failed, he de¬ termined to try the ether. He seeks for an influential friend, and finds him in Professor Charles T. Jackson, (God save the mark !) and on the 30th of September, 1846, twenty-two months after Dr. Wells proved the fact on himself, Morton pulled out a tooth for Eben Frost without pain. The Pro¬ fessor now, however, steps in for his share. The Letheon is patented. The Boston Surgeons use it in the hospitaL Bige¬ low sends it to Liston, who telegraphs to Edinburgh : Glory ! we have conquered pain. The stolen goods are contended for by the first rogue, who finds himself cheated out of the credit by the second, who is a professor and has the cards over him. They fight over the glittering prize. Meanwhile the world weeps with joy at the blessed boon, and a thousand thankful hearts throughout the civilized earth send up their grateful prayers to God for the unutterable blessing. “Where is the discoverer ? he who thought it first, proved it first; he who ventured all—yea, his life for the truth. Where is Horace Wells ? “Defrauded of his honors, betrayed by his friends, deserted by good fortune, his body shattered by the constant use of all sorts of excitants, still experimenting on himself, his mind ill-regulated, impulsive, tortured by the cruel fate which seemed to await him—’twas more than he could bear. Man¬ kind looked eagerly here and there for their benefactor, and found him at last in a suicide’’s grave ! “We bring before you, reader, in a few words this mourn¬ ful story, because it is right that we, American physicians, who are proud to claim as ours this greatest gift to medical science, should not neglect to do honor to its real author. His wife lives yet to pray that this may be done. His son asks that his father’s claim shall be closely scrutinized, and if proved, acknowledged and published to the world. It is sub-