A HISTORY OF SCIENCE 



minute I walked about the room perfectly regardless 

 of what was said to me. As I recovered my former 

 state of mind, I felt an inclination to communicate the 

 discoveries I had made during the experiment. I en- 

 deavored to recall the ideas they were feeble and in- 

 distinct; one collection of terms, however, presented 

 itself, and, with most intense belief and prophetic 

 manner, I exclaimed to Dr. Kinglake, 'Nothing exists 

 but thoughts! the universe is composed of impressions, 

 ideas, pleasures, and pains.' " 3 



From this account we see that Davy has anaesthe- 

 tized himself to a point where consciousness of sur- 

 roundings was lost, but not past the stage of exhilara- 

 tion. Had Dr. Kinglake allowed the inhaling-bag to 

 remain in Davy's mouth for a few moments longer 

 complete insensibility would have followed. As it 

 was, Davy appears to have realized that sensibility 

 was dulled, for he adds this illuminative suggestion: 

 "As nitrous oxide in its extensive operation appears 

 capable of destroying physical pain, it may probably 

 be used with advantage during surgical operations in 

 which no great effusion of blood takes place." 4 



Unfortunately no one took advantage of this sug- 

 gestion at the time, and Davy himself became interest- 

 ed in other fields of science and never returned to his 

 physiological studies, thus barely missing one of the 

 greatest discoveries in the entire field of science. In 

 the generation that followed no one seems to have 

 thought of putting Davy's suggestion to the test, and 

 the surgeons of Europe had acknowledged with one ac- 

 cord that all hope of finding a means to render opera- 



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