UNDER CHLOROFORM. 
21 
the unlucky teeth called dentes sapientice , he experienced an 
extensive inflammation of the gum, accompanied with great 
pain, which equally destroyed the power of repose and of con- 
sistent action. On the day when the inflammation was the most 
troublesome, he breathed three large doses of nitrous oxide. The 
pain always diminished after the first four or five inspirations, the 
thrilling came on as usual, and uneasiness was for a few minutes 
swallowed up in pleasure. As the former state of mind, however, 
returned, the state of organ returned with it ; and he once 
imagined that the pain was more severe after the experiment than 
before. The results of Sir Humphrey Davy’s experiments led 
him to suggest that — “ as nitrous oxide in its extensive opera- 
tion 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.” 
In these observations of Sir Humphrey, a new era was opened. 
Nearly forty years truly elapsed before the idea above suggested 
received practical form and accomplishment, but inhalation 
of nitrous oxide gas was never lost sight of ; year by year it 
was used, in play, in the chemical schools, and many a student, 
laughing under the inebriation it produced, was pinched and 
thumped unconsciously by his fellows — operated upon in fun. 
Meanwhile, comparisons were being made between the action 
of nitrous oxide and some other agents, the most important fact 
elicited in this direction being, that the vapour of sulphuric 
ether possesses an analogy of action. We touch in these words 
the history of the modern development of the science of anaes- 
thesia. Two men claim here to have been first pioneers ; these 
are Dr. Collyer and Dr. Horace Wells, both Americans. Collyer, 
whose name has hardly been heard of in the matter, adduces 
evidence that he performed a capital operation under anaesthetic 
sleep, as early as the year 1839. His evidence is, in my opinion, 
strong, but I have not seen the original document, which, I am 
told, renders it conclusive. Wells’s claim dates from December 
11th, 1844, when he inhaled nitrous oxide at his own request, 
from a Mr. Colston, while Dr. Higgs, a dentist, extracted for 
him a tooth. Two years later Dr. Morton, also an American, 
began to perform operations under sulphuric ether. 
At this point our history shall stop : it is too closely contem- 
poraneous to be written at length, without the possibility of 
injuring unintentionally some fame, or touching some suscepti- 
bility, or exciting some mental pain. Suffice it to say, that the 
work which has since been done by all, has been unequalled in 
its time in science, unequalled, I mean, in industry, earnestness 
of purpose, and usefulness to the whole human race. 
