148 FACTS RELATING TO GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS. 



Dr. Morton tried first on himself the experiment of inhaling 

 ether, and after describing the effect it produced he goes on 

 to say : 



Delighted with the success of this experiment, I immediately an- 

 nounced the result to the persons employed in my establishment, and 

 waited impatiently for some one upon whom I could make a fuller 

 trial. Toward evening, a man, residing in Boston, came in, suffering 

 great pain, and wishing to have a tooth extracted. He was afraid of the 

 operation, and asked if he could be mesmerized. I told him I had 

 something better, and saturating my handkerchief, gave it to him to 

 inhale. He became unconscious almost immediately. It was dark 

 and Dr. Hayden held the lamp, while I extracted a firmly-rooted 

 bicuspid tooth. There was not much alteration in the pulse, and no 

 relaxation of the muscles. He recovered in a minute, and knew 

 nothing of what had been done to him. He remained for some time 

 talking about the experiment. This was on the 30th of September, 

 1846. This I consider to be the first demonstration of this new fact 

 in science. I have heard of no one who can prove an earlier demon- 

 stration. If any one can do so I yield to him the priority of time 

 (pp. 62, 6^). 



Immediately after the operation Frost gave a certificate 

 corroborating these statements, vi'hich is printed in the book, 

 and signed by him as then living at No. 42 Prince Street, 

 Boston. Nearly twenty years afterward he died at Fitchburg, 

 on September 7, 1865. 



GENEALOGICAL ITEMS. 



A Mistake Corrected. — Mr. Butler, in his History of Groton 

 (p. 449), prints a list of illegitimate births that have occurred in the 

 town before the year 1782, giving the names both of the mothers and 

 the children. It is not claimed that the list is complete, but in one 

 case at least it is incorrect, and by implication unjust to the memory 

 of a worthy family. It is there stated that Eleazer, son of Phebe 

 Lawrence, was born " 24 d. 12 m. 1675 ; " and this is the only instance 

 where the date is given, without mentioning specifically the name of 



