CHAPTER IV 



THE ADMINISTRATION OF ANESTHETICS (LOCAL AND 



GENERAL) 



General Remarks. 



Anaesthetics are medicinal agents which produce uncon- 

 sciousness to pain, and they are used for this purpose very 

 largely when performing operations. They are of very 

 great value on humane grounds, and also on account of 

 the convenience they afford to the operator. They cause 

 relaxation of muscular tissues in some cases (such as hernias), 

 and allow delicate operations to be conducted with much 

 greater care and precision, when the animal is perfectly still, 

 than could be adopted with a struggling, violent patient. 

 They are divided into two classes, viz., local and general. 



By the term local anaesthetic is understood ' an agent 

 which removes sensation from the parts to which, or con- 

 tiguous to which, it is applied.' 



Under this heading, for surgical use, come such agents as 

 cold water, ice, ether, ethyl-chloride, anestile, cocaine, eucaine, 

 holocaine, stovaine, and orthoform. 



By the term general anaesthetic is understood a ' medicinal 

 agent which acts upon the higher centres to produce a com- 

 plete loss of consciousness in the whole body of the animal 

 to which it is administered.' 



Under this heading, for surgical use, come such prepara- 

 tions as chloroform, ether, the A.C.E. and other mixtures. 



Morphia, subcutaneously injected, and chloral administered 



