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The Wondrous Story of Anesthesia pp 27–35Cite as

1846–1860: Following the Discovery of Anesthesia

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Abstract

Four things soon followed the discovery of ether anesthesia. First, within weeks to months, ether was used in distant and disparate parts of the world’Europe, Australia, Mexico and Latin America. Second, for the moment, nitrous oxide was abandoned. Third, in 1847 Simpson discovered the anesthetic properties of chloroform that, for a time, replaced the pungent, flammable ether, especially in the UK. Fourth, the discovery of anesthesia was one thing, but how to deliver it safely was another. We needed a guidebook, a description of the clinical characteristics of anesthesia that might allow control of the anesthetic state. In 1847, Snow supplied just that for ether. In 1858, he similarly described the degrees of chloroform anesthesia, in the process analyzing the dangers of this more dangerous anesthetic and teaching how to avoid disaster. He, more than anyone, laid the groundwork for the specialty we call anesthesiology.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Edmond I Eger II MD

  2. Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Rod N. Westhorpe OAM, MB, BS, FRCA, FANZCA

  3. Departments of Anesthesia, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Lawrence J. Saidman MD

Authors
  1. Edmond I Eger II MD
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  2. Rod N. Westhorpe OAM, MB, BS, FRCA, FANZCA
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  3. Lawrence J. Saidman MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Edmond I Eger II MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Edmond I Eger II MD Emeritus Professor

  2. Departments of Anesthesia, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Lawrence J. Saidman MD Emeritus Professor

  3. Geoffrey Kaye Museum of Anaesthetic History, Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Rod N. Westhorpe OAM, MB, BS FRCA, FANZCA Former Honorary Curator

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© 2014 Edmond I Eger, MD

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Eger, E., Westhorpe, R., Saidman, L. (2014). 1846–1860: Following the Discovery of Anesthesia. 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_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8441-7_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-8440-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-8441-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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