RELATIONS AND VALDES OF THE AN /ESTHETICS. 
261 
Nevertheless, there are some few occurrences and morbid 
conditions that strongly suggest for themselves a preference 
for the first named agent, viz. : i. Aged creatures, who, as a 
rule, bear chloroform better than ether, especially as the latter 
may induce pulmonary troubles; 2. Operations about the 
mouth or respiratory organs where the actual cautery is to 
be used—ether is inhibited by its inflammability ; 3. Cases of 
lung infection ; but diseases of the pleura do not contraindi¬ 
cate ether if it is carefully and understandingly administered ; 
4. Where absolute muscular relaxation is demanded, as for 
the diagnosis of tumors, reduction of luxations, etc.; here 
chloroform is vastly the superior of ether because of the cer¬ 
tainty of its effect; 5. In certain abdominal operations, such 
as herniotomy; 6. In cases where venous engorgement is a 
decided advantage, as in the ligature of large arteries ; 7. 
Chloroform is generally the more preferable agent where an 
anaesthetic is required to be frequently exhibited to the same 
individual, man or animal, the class felidse excepted ; also 
possibly, where convenience, or unconscious anaesthesia is a 
prime factor, in the young and vigorous, and there is assured¬ 
ly no tendency to degenerative disease; and when anaesthesia 
is to be but brief or partial. 
In aged animals convenience may suggest, at times, the 
primary employment of chloroform, but where anaesthesia is 
to be prolonged, its replacement by ether will be found less 
taxing and wearing to both anaesthetist and patient. Again, 
degenerative disease of the heart or kidneys, or both, as they 
are associated and interdependent more often than is commonly 
imagined, providing there are no serious pulmonary complica¬ 
tions, ether should by long odds obtain the preference. But 
if pulmonary disease co-exists, the choice of anaesthetic must 
be the result of individual judgment on the part of the an¬ 
aesthetist, based upon the peculiarities of the individual case. 
Where pulmonary disease exists without renal or cardiac 
complication, the morbid condition becomes , per se, an ele¬ 
ment of safety in the administration of chloroform, while it 
inhibits the employment of ether. 
As compared with other agents ether, as a general anass- 
