Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-10-12

"The metaphysicians, in treating of conscious
and unconscious states of mind, have long
taught that there may be periods of conscious
ness with an absence of common sensiblity.
The truth of this inference is sustained by phys
ical inquiries. In a previous report on agylenc
pointed out that the vapor on amylene, while
it destroys sensaton does not destroy all con-
sciOuS acts; an / in my later observations on the
action OF methylic ether the same fact has been
more perfectly ELECTED. In several cases where
/ administered this ether for removing pain in
surgical operations, the patients, when quite in
sensible TO pain, were so conscious that they
were able to obey every request asked OF them,
and in some instances were even anxious to
reason, stating that they knew what was going
on, and arguing that they were not ready for
the operation because they were sure they should
feel pain. Nevertheless in this state Of mental
activity they were operated on, and afterwards,
while remembering every incident, were firm in
their assertion that they felt no pain whatever
during the operation. One patient, who sat for
the extraction of two teeth, selected the tooth
to be first extracted putting her finger on it,
and afterwards rearrauging her position for the
second removal. To the looker-on il seemed in
fact rs though no change in her life had
occurred, yet she affirmed that she was
sensible of no pain whatever; and sew
eral other less striking but hardly less
singular examples came before me. We may
then, think, fairly assume that in course of
time we shall discover manageable and certain
an@sthetic substances which paralyze sensation
only, leaving the muscular power unatercd and
the mental little disturbed; and we gather from
this either that in the cerebral hemisphere there
is some distinct and simple centre of common
sensation which may be acted upon by certain
agents, without involving all the cerebral mass,
or that the peripheral nervous matter may be
influenced without involving these portions of
the nervous system. On the whole, incline to
the view that the action of those agents which
destroy pain before they remove consciousness,
is primarily in the peripheral system; for we
know, from the process of an@sthesia, without
destroying, or even interfering with, conscious
ness, while those who have inhaled the VaporS
which destroy common sensation before inter-
iering with the mental condition, invariably de-
scribe the experience of a numbneSs and insen-
sibility in the extreme parts Of the body. That
which we medical men most require Is an agent
that shall be easily applied, and shall admit of
being so applied generally as to induce inseDS-
bty to pain with or without destruction of
consciousness, as the case before us may de-
mand
"There are many minor surgical operations
for which consciousness need not be destroyed,
although pain ought to be; there are other
operations in which the consciousness of the per-
son operated upon is of great service to the oper-
ator: and there is third class of cases in which
it is essential to suspend both sensation and I'M
consciousness. --%i
"Now those agents which first destroy common
sensation can always be pushed TO the extent
OF destroying consciousness, so that if we could
get a perfect agent OF this kind we should have
the full requirements in our hand. Up to the
present moment we have been content with two
classes OF agents, one which destroys conscious
ness and sensation at the same time, the other
which locally destroys sensation, and has no
influence on the consciousness. | lool hopefully
for method in which, by means of single
agent, we shall be able at will, to suspend
common sensation alone, or to exalt the process
into suspension of consciousness. When this
object is attained, with safety and facility, the
science of an@stheSia may be considered as per-
tccted.-Dr. Richardson.