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This paper, kindly furnished by Dr. Henry J. Bigelow, of Bostonj 

 treats of the mode of inhalation of ether, of the phenomena and 

 feigns of* etherization, of the signification of these symptoms, the 

 Btagea of anaesthesia and their mutual relations, with an analysis of 

 the various symptoms observed, &c. A:--. 



In considering the origin of the discovery of the anaesthetic pro- 

 perties of ether, it must be a Bouree of satisfaction to every Aim-- 

 riean to know that the world is indebted to our country for this 

 valuable tribute to Bcience ami humanity; while, at the Bame time, 

 avc must regret that the early history of the discovery is encum- 

 bered with angry disputes amongst rival claimants fur the honour, 

 and that attempts were made by those most intimately interested 

 in the claim, to render their private interests paramount to those 

 higher considerations which should Animate the disinterested lover 

 of truth. 



Your committee will avoid, as far as possible, entering into tin 

 discussions, ami proceed to give a succinct history of the introduc- 

 tion of ether inhalation into the practice of surgery. It appears 

 that the idea of annulling pain by the nitrous oxide gas had been 

 suggested long ago by Sir Humphrey Davy, and the late Dr. 

 Horace "Wells, of Hartford, Conn., had used this gas for this pur- 

 pose as early as the year 1844, with partial success. Dr. Wells 

 appears to have devoted much time and research to the subject: he 

 went to Boston and lectured upon the feasibility of the practice, and 

 performed an experiment in the presence of a number of gentlemen, 

 at the "Massachusetts General Hospital; but his experiments not 

 being satisfactory he abandoned his plans, and the idea of annulling 

 pain by inhalation of gases, slept, until revived in the year 1846 

 in a new form, and under circumstances which have conferred upon 

 it it< present importance. 



The first successful experiment was performed by William T. G. 

 Morton, a dentist of Boston, upon a patient, from whom he extracted 

 a tooth on the 80th of September, 1846. This individual was made 

 to inhale sulphuric ether from a gla>s globe constructed for the pur- 

 pose, and in a few minutes passed into a state of Unconsciousness* , 

 resembling sleep, during which a molar tooth was extracted, without 

 any indication of feeling upon his part. On awaking, he was amazed 

 at seeing the tooth upon the floor, and declared u that lie did not 



experience the slightest pain whatever." No unpleasant effects fol- 

 lowed, and the experiment was considered successful. New trials 



