Abstract
The first trial of ether in France antedated use of the agent in England. During the next few years, France’s Académie des Sciences examined the claims for the discovery of anesthesia, finally according it jointly to Morton and Jackson. By 1848, chloroform displaced ether despite inexplicable fatalities associated with its use. In 1908, ether spectacularly returned with the introduction of the Ombrédanne inhaler, remaining popular in France to the 1960s. As World War II began, doctors, pharmacists, dentists and medical orderlies might be briefly trained in anesthesia. Surgeons directed anesthesia, and article 45 of the 1947 code of practice gave the “surgeon…the right to choose his operating assistants as well as the anaesthestist.” Students completing a 6-week course, supervised by surgeons or physicians and supplemented by a 6-month hospital assignment, received a “Certificate of Anaesthesia”. The institution of examinations in 1948 led to the award of the Diplôme d’Anesthésie-Réanimation (Diploma in Anesthesia and post-operative care)
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
A sealed envelope is a system whereby an inventor may guard his rights to an invention which are still uncertain. The latter is kept by the Academy and is not opened until requested by the depositor.
- 2.
What corresponded to approximately one year of salary for a worker.
References
Cousin M-Th. L’anesthésie-Réanimation en France des origines à 1965. Paris: L’Harmattan; 2005.
Cazalaà JB, Baker DJ, Cousin M-T. Apparatus for anaesthesia and intensive care. Paris: Editions Glyphe; 2005.
Zimmer M. Histoire de l’anesthésie Méthodes et techniques au XIXe siècle. Les Ulys: EDPS; 2008.
Website of CHAR (Society for the history of anaesthesia and intensive care in France):http://www.char-fr.net/SITE/index.php.
Wells H. A history of the discovery of the application of nitrous oxide gas, ether and other vapors in surgical operations. Hartford: J Gaylord Wells; 1847.
Fülöp-Miller R. Triumph over pain. New York: Charter Books; 1938.
Gorré F. Observation d’un cas de mort causé par l’inhalation du chloroforme. B Acad Nat Med Paris. 1848;13:1144–60.
Kern E. Mes quatre vies. Paris: Arnette; 1971.
Code de déontologie médicale: introduction. Paris: Seuil; 1996.
Cousin MT. La création des départements d’anesthésiologie dans le cadre de la réforme hospitalo-universitaire. Cah Anesthésiol. 2002;50:447–52.
Ibsen B. The anaesthetist’s viewpoint on the treatment of respiratory complications during the epidemic in Copenhagen 1952. Proc Roy Soc. 1953;47:72–4.
Monod R. But général et moyens d’action de la société. Anesth Analg Paris. 1935;1:61.
Monod R. Rapport du président à l’assembléée générale de la société d’anesthésie du 15 janvier 1948. Anesth Analg Paris. 1949;6:290–2.
Website of Société Française d’anesthésie et de réanimationhttp://www.sfar.org
Beecher HK, Todd DP. A study of the deaths associated with anesthesia and surgery. Ann Surg. 1954;140:2–34.
Hatton F, Tiret L, Maujol L, N’Doye P, Vourc’h G, Desmonts JM, Otteni JC, Scherpereel P. Enquête épidémiologique sur les accidents d’anesthésie. Premiers résultats. Ann Fr Anesth Réanim. 1983;2:331–86.
Rapport du Haut Comité de la santé publique sur la sécurité anesthésique. Ministère de la santé et de l’action humanitaire, Paris 1993. (In line towww.sfar.org).
Lienhart A, Auroy Y, Péquignot F, Benhamou D, Warszawski J, Bovet M, Jougla E. Survey of anesthesia-related mortality in France. Anesthesiology. 2006;105:1087–97.
Darin G. Sur les anesthésiques. Arch Physiol Norm Pathol. 1875;25:711–5.
Buxton DW, Report of the special chloroform committee. Br Med J. 1902;116–28.
Loi du 6 janvier 1986 relative à l’aide médicale urgente et aux transport sanitaires. Journal Officiel de la République Française 7 janvier 1986.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Edmond I Eger, MD
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Baker, D., Cazalaà, JB., Cousin, MT. (2014). Aspects of the Development of Anesthesia in France. In: Eger II, E., Saidman, L., Westhorpe, R. (eds) The Wondrous Story of Anesthesia. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8441-7_28
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8441-7_28
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-8440-0
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-8441-7
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)