189 , 



inconvenience, much less danger. The chloroform, however, has in 

 two or three cases produced symptoms, which, for a short time, oc- 

 casioned some alarm, but in the end no evil consequences ensued. 

 In consequence of these examples of what seemed to be dangerous 

 effects, I have, for some months past, confined myself ordinarily to 

 the use of ether." 



Etherization has also been found a convenient means of enabling 

 the surgeon to execute painful explorations of the bladder, and 

 other sensitive parts. On this point, the committee refer again to 

 the interesting letter of Dr. Warren, before quoted. Dr. W. states: 

 "The operation of lithotrity has been prodigiously improved by the 

 practice of etherization. The patient, instead of disturbing the 

 search of the operator by his movements, experiencing no suffering, 

 lies perfectly tranquil. On this day, March 8th, I attended with 

 Dr. J. Mason Warren, a patient suspected of calculus. He had 

 been examined a number of times, however, without discovering any 

 stone. In fact, the excessive agitation of his body rendered it 

 impossible to sound him thoroughly. We etherized him pleasantly 

 by chloric ether, and, though his consciousness was not lost, he was 

 sounded without pain or movement. A very hard stone was dis- 

 covered and struck half a dozen times by each of us. Before the 

 instrument was withdrawn, etherization passed off, and he began to 

 cry out. The whole process required fifteen minutes, seven be- 

 fore the instrument was introduced. We have had opportunity 

 of employing etherization in one case only of lithotomy. It an- 

 swered perfectly, and must, I think, prove of great utility in all 

 cases of this operation." 



Dangers of Etherization. — Although the anesthetic state, so 

 far as the results have been recorded, does not appear to be gene- 

 rally attended with danger, yet it must be admitted that agents 

 capable of rapidly annihilating sensation, volition, and intellect, 

 and of producing sudden changes in the circulation and respiration, 

 and even of altering the constitution of the blood itself, must be 

 liable to abuse and danger in their use. In this respect they are 

 like other potent articles of the materia medica, which have the 

 power of greatly and speedily modifying the functions of the 

 economy. 



There may also be idiosyncrasies of constitution, peculiarly ob- 

 noxious to the influence of these agents, and diseased states of the 



