New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-01-30
Medical Humbug.

than we can well spare in exposing its real character
We aIlpde TO the Letheon Anodyne NsPor, or what
not ofDr Merton Dentist OF Boston. The following
are some Of the facts respecting il
Several medical gentlemen Of Boston, among them
the Surgeons Of the Hospital have lent their nsmes 10
secre; preparation h0ughi il openly confessed TO BE-
nothing but .ulphurc ether which = said to have the
power Of rendering those who nhse il quits insensble
to pain. though undergoing the most severe surgical
operations It was introduced BY Or. W 7 G. Merton.
Dentist and when endorsed BY men as respectable IS
Drs Warren and Hayward snd actually administered
10 their patients the honorable part Of the medical pro
fession were asionshei to learn that il was patented
This wa. well calculated to excite surprise, and there
were not wanting those both in Boston and in this city
who snxiou.y awaited an explicit disayowsl Of its use
from those gentlemen because il u contrary to every
rule Of ethics and humanity supposed to govern so ber
A. and humane a profession as that OF medicine. No
such di.avowal has been made, snd We have heard
Of repesed instances OF lis not only by the above
well known Surgeons bu, BY several in this city We
are obliged reluctantly to believe that 1t has received
their entire ciion and Is eglaFy adopted yslu
able agent tor relieving pain and aiding poor humanity
to pass through the terrible ordeal OF surgical opers
ions AZ public Journal ss spouse neither side Of
the question in its ethical aspect, Though mus, say
at the sunshine or eating bread but have directed our
inquiries 70 ssceriainng whether sgent power
tul enough to effect such complete oblivion to rem
der person insensble to pain. during smPGis
ton OF limb night no, be followed by Interior If not
present injury 10 the constitution We melted TO
such inquiries BY recolectng the consequences OF in
hAlinz ether a. well the nitrous Oxyde gas whose e
fleets were 50 near a. we remember similar in charsc
ter-both 10 the extent inhaled H. producing great
exhilerston and propensity TO muscular movement aud
general extravaganza Of action which continued for
few minutes and was followed by OF less mental
and bodily depression The other. when applied in
OF surgical operations is Of course carried much
iarther-even to the production of complete nsensi-
billy and if requisite, from returning consciousness I,
Is again inhaled to the extent
We are satisfied that it be used with impunity
tor tie following reasons
Its effects upon the patient cannot be previously
calculated 1t i impossible to tell before administering
it what its Interior consequences will be. This fact
alone should prevent its use.
IT, It by partially stopping the circulation OF the
blood snd producing state of ssphyxis, in itself eX
ceedngy dangerous.
Ill., To persons OF hyserieal consump,iye tenden.
cies it is inevitably injurious.
~. Concealed aneurisms which no symptoms indi-
cate and by which apparently in high health often
drop down dead in moment brought by it into i'm
mediate action.
The following cases which quote from the Boston
Medical and Surgical Journal of Jan 6, will we hope
be sufficient warning readers to shun it altogether
The first case" young lady-much agitsied before
taking the gas at Mr. MortOns pulse l30-siter taking
H. fell 10 TO- eyes injected rothing at mouth general
appearance like one going into state OF epilepsy For
time much contused-several hours after said that
~. aN. Nfrf
a horrd dream" Second case q" young man. APP
pesred 10 have much suffering throwing his body al
from the chair Pulse rose TO 80 while nhalng
eyes injected respiration laboring' Third case Miss
D. took the ether and had tooth out without pain. Left
Mr. Ms room about - clock at o'clock, after she
got home was taken delirous. This lasted all night
next morning raised blood from lungs-about pint
suffering in consequence OF the operation three days
after" Fourth case Miss K was strangely excited
but had tooth out and felt pain. Was taken delir
ous after she left Mr. Ms room, In shop, had 10
be carried home and remained in that state for three
days IN great restesnes and friends afraid t. leave her
/ alone"
a young man clerk la store in Hanoverst return
ed the few days since after being absent
three hours rushed violently in from the street
and the store then out again and returning til
he al tel senseless the floor. When reused su
hcenty he said he had taken the ether vt Nr VI and
mad a tooth out did not know where he had becn
since or how he reached the store having been. Il
appears perfectly deirous Wa confined o the house
ali the following day snd the 80 Effects lasted several
days young woman aged \ yesrs took the ether in
Salem from dentist who had bought the patented Pr
riGge. She had a tooth extracted without pain and
was delighted with the operation weos after, 70
peated the pertinent AZ the same place inhaled the
yapor out when the operation was commenced, con.
scOusnes3 restored that she had great pain rom
the drawing OF the tooth her head Immediately felt con
fused and painful She did not know how or when she
returned hOme-whether alone or with some one 10
guide She much agitsted weeping and sigh
ing and did not recover from the effects IN oil the next
day.