The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-09-04

The Discovery of the Properties Of Ether
The Accident Which Led to its Use-A Lit
tie Nigger in Georgia The Original Vic
tim of its Application.
Correspondence Of the Chicago Enter Ocean.
New YORK, August 5.
"The two greatest gifts that science has
conferred upon humanity are vaccination
and anesthesia," said an eminent physi-
clan the other evening at social gather
ing.
1t occurred to your correspondent that
in walking through the charming little
park adjoining the Boston commons had
been observed a stately monument OF
white marble upon which was carved the
simple inscription, "To the Discoverer of
Anesthesia." Name and date there was
none; but to give character to the stone,
the figure of a wounded soldier was rep
resented upon the top.
"Who was the discoverer" wondered
and inquired, without being enlightened,
and not until last night did Istrike the
source of information, and put the ques-
ton direct, with an apology for my igno-
rance.
"Well," said the aforesaid doctor eff
DR.. Sims was here, he would tell you all
about it, but he is still in Europe. Call
on Mr.. Fl. L. Stuart and he will relate to
you
a ROMANCE IN THE HISTORY OF SUR
gerry.
Mr.. Stuart I had heard of before as a
veteran journalist and level-headed,
genial man of affairs, one of the founders
of the Woman's hospital, and an intimate
friend Of Mr.. Horace Greeley, to whom,
by the way, he introduced Whitelaw
Reid, when the latter was the youthful
correspondent at Washington for the
Cincinnati Gazette. How this introduc-
ton led to the present position of the
editor of the Tribune must be reserved
for another letter.
Mr.. Stuart was found, and 1 will give
the readers of the Inter- Ocean as nearly
as memory permits in his own words, the
history of anesthesia.
"You came at a very appropriate time"
said the gentleman, "for while we are
talking Alexander Stephens is deliver
ing an address at the commencement ex-
ercises of the university of Georgia on
the same subject.
"To begin with, Sir Humphreys Davy
was the first to suggest the use of nitrous
oxide gas in surgical operations. Forty
years rolled by, and no advantage was
taken of his idea, and nothing more was
heard of the matter until Horace Wells,
of Hartford, Conn.,, came to Boston in
1S45 to lay his discovery of anesthesia
through nitrous oxide gas before the
profession and the world at
large.
HE dated the discovery at 1874, his
mind being turned toward the subject by
a desire to prevent suffering during the
extraction of teeth. He noticed at lee
ture, where several of the audience took
LAUGHING CAS-"
that one of the number fell over q bench
and was badly injured, but unconscious
of pain though the blood ran down his
leg. Struck by this fact, Wells expert
mented upon himself by having molar
tooth pulled while under the influence
of the gas. The operation was painless
and, filled with enthusiasm, Wells pro-
ceeded to Boston and persuaded the cele-
brated DR.. Warren to use it during an
Unluckily, the gas-bag was
removed too soon, the patient screamed
aloud, and Wells was Kissed out of the
and called humbug. The
nearly killed him.
"In 1916, Morton, the former pupil
and then partner of Wells, pursued the
and at the suggestion of
chemist, substituted sulphuric ether in
place of the nitrite oxide with great sue
cess. He then went to Boston, admins
tered to the patients of prominent sur
geons with the best Of results, and from
that time it came rapidly into use by the
profession throughout the world.
"In October, 1876, Morton and jack
son (the chemist) procured a patent for
their anesthesia "Lothen," which was
nothing more nor less than pure sulphu-
ric ether. Jackson soon after
RESIGNED HIS INTEREST
in the patent to Morton, and sent COM
to the French institute claim
ing the honor for himself.
A brisk warfare then ensued between
the two, and, while it was raging, Wells
sailed for Europe to present his claims as
the real discoverer of anesthesia. He
was denied by the French institute, and
returned home to draw up the papers
which should prove his rights. This
brought on tripartite battle. Morton
and Jackson declaring Wells anns-
thetic devoid of the necessary proper
ties.
To silence them, Wells Immediately
gave it in several prolonged operations
with success, but, Notwithstanding this, he
saw that nitrous oxide gas would be sup
planted by sulphuric ether. Disappoint-
ed, dispirited, and disheartened, he made
one more effort to prove his claims and
rights as the discoverer, in this city in
1S4S, but became suddenly insane, and
killed himself.
ga few years after (1S53) Morton ap-
piled to congress for grant of money for
the discovery of anesthesia. The friends
of Wells came to the front, and opposed
him, and this controversy, strangely
enough, brought to light
THE ORIGINAL DIscovERER. il.
DR.. Crawford w. Long, of Athens, Ga.
Where he had been all this time may be
briefly explained.
"It seems that between the years 1880
1910 the young people of the country
towns of Georgia INDUCED in a novel
amusement in concluding dance or
quilting bee by what was called an
"ether frolic;;" that is, they inhaled
ether. This was, Of course, productive
of great amusement, as affecting
different temperaments in different
ways. Some would laugh and sing 9th.
ers weep mournfully and a general
romp frequently ending in fight, would
ensue (what a picture of social life).
At one of these parties, 1887, was rogu-
ish boy of II, called Wilhitc.
Having all inhaled the ether some of
them more than once, and in search of
o,,,,,eon,ort tbo, m pturo1 n ,aoro how