150 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [JUNE 6, 
of the American Journal of Science, included in the correspondence 
between Dr. Guthrie and the editor, Professor Silliman, and has 
established beyond all doubt or cavil the right of Dr. Guthrie to 
the title of ‘‘ Discoverer of Chloroform.” 
The following article was also presented :— 
Cxicaco, February 6, 1888. 
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Chicago Medical Society :— 
Your committee appointed to consider the subject of the discovery 
of chloroform would respectfully submit the following report :— 
There are three claimants to the honor of the discovery—Liebig, 
of Germany, Soubeiran, of France, and Guthrie, of America. 
LiEBI@’s CLAIM.—Liebig claims to have published his discovery 
in November, 1831 (see Liebig’s Annalen, vol. 162, page 161). 
SOUBEIRAN’S CLAIM.—Soubeiran claims to have published his 
paper on ether bichlorique in October, 1831, in the Annales de 
Chimie et de Physique. 
Liebig shows (see Liebig’s Annalen, volume 162, page 161) that 
the October number of the Annales de Chimie et de. Physique was 
delayed in its publication, and that it did not appear until January, 
1832. It certainly is evident that it was not published in October, as 
it contains the meteorological report for the entire month of October. 
GUTHRIE’S CLAIM.—In the January number, 1832, of Silliman’s 
American Journal of Science and Art, we find an article by Dr. 
Samuel Guthrie, dated September 12, 1831, in which he says: “A 
bottle and phial contain alcoholic solution of chloric ether. The 
contents of the phial are as strong as I could conveniently prepare 
them, but not equal to some w hich I made not long ago.” 
In the October number, 1831, of the same journal (page 64, vol. 
xxi) we find an article by Dr. Guthrie, without date, upon a 
““new mode of preparing a spirituous solution of chlorie ether,” in 
which he says: ‘ During the last six months a great number of 
persons have drunk of the solution of chloric ether not only freely 
but frequently to the point of intoxication.”’ 
We find a notice to contributors in Prof. Silliman’s journal in 
which he says: ‘‘ Communications to be in hand six weeks, or 
when long, and especially with drawings, two months before the 
publication day.” 
Dr. Guthrie’s paper on chlorie ether must then have been in the 
hands of the printer in July or August, 1831, and if people had 
drunk his chloric ether for six months, it would place the date of 
his discovery in the early part of 1831. 
We therefore conclude that Dr. Samuel Guthrie is justly entitled 
to the honor of first discovering chloroform, and that the publica- 
tion of his discovery antedates that of either Liebig.or Soubeiran. 
Respectfully submitted, 
F. E. WAxHAM, 
N.S. Davis, JR., 
E. Wytiys ANDREWS. 
