New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-10-07
CHLOROFORM rs an ANHSTHEIIC. e
ITS CLAIMS COMPARED WITH THOSE OF ETHER-N
TEREsTING TESTS BY SURGEONS

ITS CLAIMS COMPARED WITH THOSE OF ETHER-N-
TEREsTING TESTS BY SURGEONS.
An inuIest was held in Boston, on Saturday,
in the case who died In dentists chair under
circumstances which will revive the interest in the ques
ton OF the most suitable anesthec. Charles Linsoo
freight conductor the Eastern Railroad. went into
O. p Rice's Office at No. 8 fremont Row, to have a
tooth extracted ChlOroform administered and the
operaon performed. After the operation Linscott did
not recover consciousness and physician was hastily
summoned In spite OF their efforts LiDscott
died The opinion Of the physicians was that death
was caused - the inability OF the lungs which were
affected by consumption to throw off the chloroforin.
The verdict of the COroners jury that death was
caused by chloroform administered for dental opera
ton jurors expressed the opinion that with our
present knowledge of chlOroform, its use as an anes
thetc IS utterly unjushabe." and they recommended
that legislative action be taken to prevent its admins
traton The greater part of the medical profession Of
Boston ha We for many considered choroform
was not q iudicous anesthec TO employ. 1t was said
though that this mainly owing to their prejudice in
favor of ether which first used extensively as
anesthet tic in that city.
The dangers that have been considered by many OF
the medical profession OF this city attendant upon the
use OF choroform anesthec. have deferred many
using this agent In some hospitals and in their
private practice physicians have insisted upon the
OF sulphurc ether TO produce anesthesa The argument
of the advocates OF choroform has been that Is more
cleanly that the patient Is more easily rendered insens
ble aud that with due precautions the danger to q
person with a sound heart is very small. The
advocates of the OF ether say, that
there is absolutely very little danger from the Of
that agent producing anesIhesa and that there
we'll upon record where in the hands
OF competent medical man any person has died from
its use They therefore, argue that II there are two
agents for producing tue same result one OF
the life of the patient while the other has never been
known destroy life, the certain agent should be en-
poyed. The smell OF ether Is very dlsagreeaDle 10
some. aud there are those who are thrown into
hale the pungent spray Ether made OF great purity
aud has gradually outstrpped chOroform In the race
for popularity with large number Of the medical pro-
fessiOn OF this city and elsewhere Many pbysci In
unable 10 decide upon ether. combination OF
the two. Dr. Sims OF this city, NJ. NelatOn OF Paris.
and a surgeon in Ne9-Orleans have lately related
cases that occurred IN their practice where they
used cbOrofOrm 10 produce anesthesa and their
patients saved from dying on the operating table
from the effects OF the anesthetc only by novel mode
OF procedure In six this method Is reported TO
have saved patients life. These surgeons had
form immediately caused 0y want or proper de-
OF blood to the BRAIN The want OF his stimu
liant 10 the brains action rapidly led 10 the suspension
Of other vital organs OF the economy When, therefore.
denly ceased 10 breathe he caused his legs and body to
be elevated, the head hanging downward. The
blood, By spsclfc gravity, tended To the
brain. Artificial respiration was kept up and
own voon. He was laid back the table. and the
operation about 10 be continued when IL
noticed that lie had ceased To breathe The
process was gone through with and again the patient
Ian ,ed into the state that would have been DEATH
ard each his breathing was restored by this pro-