187 



In Cincinnati, Dr. Mussey, Professor of Surgery in the Medical 

 College of that city, reports a series of sixteen surgical operations, 

 in which anaesthesia was induced by him, in a paper in the Boston 

 Medical and Surgical Journal, of April 15th, 1848. Chloroform 

 was used in all these cases, without a single unpleasant symptom. 

 A letter from Dr. Mussey containing some additional facts upon 

 this subject, has also been received by the committee, which they 

 present with this report. (See Appendix C. — 5.) 



Dr. Charles Bell Gibson, Professor of Surgery in the Medical 

 College of Richmond, Va., and a member of this committee, reports 

 five cases, in three of which chloroform was used, and in two, sul- 

 phuric ether. One of amputation of the thigh, for disease of the 

 knee-joint, in which the effect of ether was perfect, and the patient 

 recovered without a bad symptom — and another for the removal of 

 a large malignant tumour from the neck, the operation lasting 

 twenty-five minutes, and the patient sixty years of age. In this 

 case the effect was less decided. In the three cases in which chlo- 

 roform was used, the anaesthetic influence was not fully induced, and 

 in one a degree of excitement took place, amounting to frenzy, 

 which delayed the operation. 



Dr. A. L. Pierson, of Salem, Mass., also a member of the com- 

 mittee, reports sixteen cases of operations performed under the 

 influence of ether or chloroform, (besides several amputations of 

 fingers,) since November, 1846, without the slightest permanent bad 

 effects in any case. One amputation of a leg, and another of the 

 arm, with two cases of strangulated hernia, are included in this 

 number. In twelve operations ether was used, and chloroform in 

 four. 



In regard to the relative merits of ether and chloroform as anae- 

 sthetic agents, the profession is divided in sentiment. Many sur- 

 geons prefer the latter agent as more prompt, energetic and con- 

 trollable; while others, who have had considerable experience with 

 both articles, prefer the former as more safe, and equally effectual. 

 As this question is one of great interest at the present time, your 

 committee will quote the recent observations of several gentlemen 

 on this point. 



Dr. John Watson, of New York, one of the Surgeons of the Hos- 

 pital, and a member of this committee, in a letter, dated April 8th, 

 1848, states: — "It will be perceived, by referring to the accom- 

 panying tables, that at the hospital we have been in the habit of 

 using chloroform to the exclusion of ether, ever since the former 



