The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-08 00:00:00

AMPUTATION WITHOUT PAIN.

Our readers are aware that a series of experiments
recently made by an American physician, led him to an-
nounce to his professional brethren the discovery of a
gas, the inhalation of which was capable of reducing the
inhaler to a state of insensibility of so intense a charac-
ter, that the most painful operations might be performed
without causing any, even the slightest, suff,.ring to the
patient. We stated on Saturday that an operation had
been performed on the preceding day, at the Richmond
Hospital, in this city, on a female who was subjected to
the inhalation of the gas whose new:y-discovered pro-
perties promise to confer such benefits on suffering hu-
manity ; and that the result was of the most satisfactory
character. Through the kindness of a professional
friend, we are enabled to-day to give some of the details
of this most interesting and successful experiment.
The patient was a young woman under twenty years
of age. She received an injury in the elb ,w-joint some
weeks since, which is supposed to have been inflicted by
a bramble penetrating the joint, and inducing lid-lamina-
tion of the delicate membrane that cover the surfaces of
the bones of the joint. When admitted to the hospital
the joint was much swollen, and in a state of suppura-
tion. Mr. M'Donnell, the gifted surgeon, under chose
care, she was, applied every remedy which professional
skill could suggest, but without effect. The patient was
rapidly sinking ; her constitution was unequal to the
combat ; hectic fever set in, and on a consultation 1.3
held it was the unanimous opinion of the surgeons of the
institution that there remained but one means of saving
the girl's life—amputating the arm. Tho poor girl was
apprised of her position ; she consented to undergo the
operation, it being the last chance of life, and Wednesday
last was fixed on as the day on which it vans to be per
formed. We understand that on Tuesday evening Mr.
M'l)onnell first conceived the idea of testing the efficacy
of the nareo•izing gas—the fumes of pure sulphuric ether
—but with that self-devotion so characteristic of great
minds, he resolved that his first experiment should be on
himself. The necessary apparatus had to be mada, and
the contemplated operation on the girl was postpone d to
Friday. Tile apparatus necessary to apply the fumes
of the ether with effect, though simple, requires nice
adaptation. That recommended cans': t en entially of
two valves placed in a tube, and acting in different direc-
tions—the one opening at each inspiration, so as freely
to admit the fumes of the ether, and closing at each ex-
piration ; the other opening at each expiration, so as
to anmit of the escape of the expired air, and closing at
each effort at inspiration, so as to exclude the atmosphe-
ric air, and thus prevent the too great dilution of the
fumes. These valves, it is obvious, must play with such
freedom as to offer no serious obstacle to the process of
inhalation. After several failures an apparatus was pro-
cured, and Mr. Nl'Donnell, accompanied by a professional
fsiend, in whose steadiness and skill he had perfect con-
fidence, retired to his study to make his first experi-
ment—and on himself.

After a few minutes' inhalation the operator became
perfectly insensible. He, however, was quickly restored
from his temporary death. No unpleasant sensation re-
mained, and—resolved that the poor girl should not be
experimented on till he had first properly satisfied him•
self that no possible injury could result to her—Mr.
M'Donnell again and again operated on himself, each
time producing the most perfect insensibility—in fact, a
complete absence of all sensation ; and on being restored,
each time felt, as ho afterwards described it, no unplea-
sant sensation ; but, on the contrary, rather a pleasing
sense of quiescence during the xeturn of sensibility,
which lasted for some minutes.

..—Having thus convinced himself of the safety of the ex-
periment, and his friend of the perfect temporary anni-
hilation of sensation, Mr. *Donnell proceeded on Fri-
day to perform the operation (amputation) on his pa-
tient, in the presence of a number of his professional
brethren. Having treated his patient as he had pre-
viously treated himself, she became insensible in a few
minutes, and he proceeded to operate. The several
stages of the operation were proceeded with, the patient
all the time evincing no evidence of consciousness. The
integuments and muscles u ere cut through, the bone
was sawed across, and the amputated arm laid aside,
the patient continuing to all appearance ignorant of the
whole proceeding. These several stages occupied some-
thing more, we believe, than a minute and a half, and
more than two minutes more elapsed before the patient
evinced any symptons of returning sensibility. When
she first became conscious, the distinguished opera-
tor was tying one of the bleeding vessels. This she felt,
and described her sensation accurately, she also com-
plained of a sense of smarting, such as is usually felt
after an incised wound, over the surface of the stump.
She was rrfectly conscious (luring the dressing of the
stump, aAI her sensatiohs at the time in no way ap-
peared to differ from those of patients operated on in
the usual way. She appeared, however, to suffer less,
anti was less agitated, th.in other patients. Since Friday
;he
ea patientppa rcharacter'A'eli. N°
symptomsbad
dributableto
h
the inhalation.
We cannot conclude our notice of this interesting and
e hase appeared--none
r beet'oit doingr
any
instructive case without congratulating Mr. M'Donnell
on the new triumph this operation adds to an alread3
retnarlcAbly succe.tsful professional career.—Dublin Free-
man's Journal.

RE• OPENING 01' COAL.PITS.-011 Saturday last
there was a procession of a somewhat novel charactor
through the streets of Manchester and Salford, to cele-
brate the re-opening of two of the coal pits at the Pen-
dleton Colliery, belonging to John Fitzgerald, F.sq
which have for upwards of three years been inundated
with water. In the month of August, 1844, the working
of coal at both the Albert and the six-foot mine wa,
totally stopped by their being flooded. Mr. Fitzgerald
pump, shortly afterwards erected a stationary engine antiin order to endeavour to clear the pits; and though fur
some time the task seemed almost hopeless, the exer-
tions were continued with vigour, till, after incessant
pumping night and day, for nearly three years, the men
were again enabled to commence coal-getting operations.
—Manchester Guardian.
FIRE IN MANCHESTER.—About half-past five
o'clockoccupied
by l,
onTueisrd.m ‘,vniiilgiahi Bnitley (executor of Messr: .tna tire broke out in the premises
Massey and Travis), calenderer, &c., 28, Deansgate.
The fire originated in what is called the raising-room,
where the shearing of certain descriptions of cloth is
carried on, and all the hands were at work at the time.
It was first perceived amongst the waste on the floor,
and as this is of an exceedingly inflammable nature, the
fire in a short time had spread over the whole room, and
ignited the roof of the building. An alarm was imme-
diately sent to the police-yard, and Mr. Thomas Rose
was speedily on the spot with an engine ; but meantime,
the workpeople had done all they could to extinguish
the flames, and after the engine had played for about ten
minutes, the fire was completely subdued. It is not
known at present how it originated, as all the lights
used in that room are protected. The damage done is
principally
chilies four having been almost entirely destroyed. The
to the machinery ; out of eight raising ma-
property is insured.—Maitchester Guardian.
A HALT AT THE ALTAR. Thursday was fixed
for Mrs. Elizabeth Brown, of Bromyard, a third time to
enter on hymeneal blessedness. She was 78, and the
object of her affections was a stalwart smith, of Norton,
under 40. The bride was there in time—her groom was
not, and two weary hours did she wait for his coming.
By-and-by John ap ears, tolerably cool. " I'm sorry
I's kept
p
you weitin', Betty," says he. " Why, where
have you bin, John,"
says she. " Oh, I've bin to the
castle, a cleaning the squire's smokejack." The lady
was sati=f4d—business must be attended to—work first,
though it is but cleaning smokejacks, and play after,
though it be but the small joke of marrying a wife—is a
golden rule. And so the two were hitched together in
the matrimonial noose.— If orcester Herald.
LONDON COACHMAKERS' BENEVOLENT INSTITU-
TION.—Wednesday the yearly meeting of the members
and supporters of this society, which is established for
tho relief of indigent members, their widows and orphans,
was held at the rooms of the Institution, King-street,
Golden-square, Mr. Savage in the chair. Mr. Brown
, read the report, which stated that the so-
et he r
i et
ys
,esc
fundedet ry.
property amounted to 3001., exclusive of
100/. in the banker's hands, and that the subscriptions
of the Sear, including a previous balance, figured
681. 17s. 6d., leaving a general balance of 421/. Upon the
motion of Mr. Lee the report was adopted.