296 REPORTS ON THE STATE OF SCIENCE. 
Anesthetics.—Interim Report of the Committee, consisting of 
Dr. A. D. WALLER (Chairman), Dr. F. W. Hewitt (Secre- 
tary), and Sir F. TREVES, appointed to acquire further know- 
ledge, Clinical and Experimental, concerning Anesthetics— 
especially Chloroform, Ether, and Alcohol—with Special 
Reference to Deaths by or during Anesthesia, and their 
possible Diminution. 
[PLATES IX.-X1II.] 
PAGE 
General Statement ; . : 5 : d i : . é ; 296 
ATPENDIX 
I. Report upon the Routine Use of a Mixture a Chae and Ether. 
Hewitr and BLuMFELp . : 298 
II. Description of the Chloroform ries Wie : c : 2 00S 
III. On the Physiological Effects of Mixed Anasthetics. WALLER . 4 505 
IV. The Comparative Action upon Isolated Muscle of Alcohol, ii and 
Chloroform.—‘ Proc. Roy. Soc., June 1909. Water . 307 
V. A Report on the Percentage of Chloroform in the Blood of oe 
tised Animals and of Man under Various Conditions. Garp- 
NER and BUCKMASTER . 507 
VI. The Comparative Power of Chir oPoaal Rther, dan Ata® gauged 
by Intravenous Injection. Water and Symes . 312 
Tue Committee have held six meetings during the past year, and have 
in additon met informally on many occasions in the laboratory and at 
hospitals. 
The following gentlemen have been co-opted members of the Com- 
mittee: Dr. Buckmaster, Mr. J. A. Gardner, and Dr. Blumfield. Sir 
F. Treves, by reason of the pressure of other engagements, desires to 
retire from the Committee. 
General Statement. 
§ 1. We are agreed that while a skilful, careful, and experienced 
administrator can be trusted to secure anesthesia of required degree with 
a minimum of risk, it is necessary to provide against accident at the 
hands of administrators who have not yet acquired experience, or whc 
have not been educated so as to appreciate the power and danger of 
chloroform vapour. 
This end can be approached by improved laboratory instruction con- 
cerning the physiological effects upon animals of chloroform vapour at 
known concentrations, and by the use of apparatus or other means of 
ensuring that the concentration of chloroform vapour shall be kept 
within given limits. 
§ 2. Apparatus by which the percentage of the chloroform mix- 
ture offered to inspiration can be read off is especially valuable for 
educational purposes. As regards the use of apparatus for clinical use 
we prefer not to express any collective opinion at present. 
§ 8. Another way of limiting the action of chloroform, by taking its 
vapour from a mixture of chloroform and ether (2 vols. chloroform 
+ 3 vols. ether) has formed the subject of clinical investigation by Drs. 
Hewitt and Blumfield, The results of that investigation are given in 
