m 



during its advance to the third, what he would not feel in the 

 same stage during its retiring from the third. 



"The proper stages for operations are, according to Dr. 

 Snow, the third or fourth ; the latter, if there be any muscular 

 movement, or rigidity in the third stage. If there is the 

 least snoring, the operation may be commenced, and the ether 

 should be temporarily withdrawn till the snoring ceases. The 

 insensibility may be kept up for a long time without risk, by 

 allowing partial recovery occasionally, by withdrawing the 

 inhaled agent for a time. 



"Dr. Simpson points out the following conditions as neces- 

 sary to be attended to in producing anaesthesia. 1st. Perfect 

 quiet and freedom from all sources of excitement; 2nd. 

 Avoiding as much as possible the stage of excitement, by 

 giving a full dose as quickly as possible, so as to produce the 

 state of insensibility as speedily as possible; and 3rd. Stead- 

 fastly deferring the commencement of the operation till the 

 state of insensibility has been fully produced. It ought also 

 to be observed, that it is advisable not to administer these 

 agents very soon after a meal, as the desired effects are not so 

 easily produced. 



"Patients often recover promptly; frequently after some 

 delay, with, perhaps, wandering of the mind, or even sonic 

 excitement. Paintness and languor are not unfrequent for 

 some time after recovery, and sometimes sickness, or even 

 vomiting, particularly if shortly after a meal. 



"Anaesthesia, or insensibility to pain, by the inhalation of 

 the vapour of ether or chloroform, has been induced not oidy 

 in surgical operations, but in neuralgia and some other painful 

 diseases, in passing otherwise intolerable galvanic currents 

 through tumours, to relieve spasm, as in hooping cough, and 

 in parturition." 



After some statements and extracts m evidence of the 

 beneficial effects produced by the inhalation of the vapours of 



