Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1892-05-26
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EARLY ANESTHESiA.
First Use OF Ether In Performing Snrgi.
cal Operations.


| First Use OF Ether In Performing Snrgi.
cal Operations.
The nows of Listens trial OF an8s-
thesia by the inhalation of ether was
brought as soon as possible to Glas-
gov, and was conveyed at once TO the
different learned professors OF medi-
cine in that city. | was at the time
ono of the students in the anatomical
class in Anderson's University says u
writer in Longman's Magazine aud
according to custom the large class
was seated in the lecture theater wait
ing for the middle-day lecture. Tho
professor we were under was DIR. Moses
Buchanan. most Jealous, able and
enthusiastic teacher. The professor
was one OF the most punctual men in
the world in respect to lecture time.
aud after we students had sat for five
minutes at least with no professor in
view, wo began to get Il little bit rest.
less and noisy wondering what had
happened. At last the janitor John
back Of the lecture table and the m So.
ing professor appeared. To our as
constituent he told US that there wou,d
be no lecture that day; and then, for
he was as good a surgeon as he was
an anatomist he Informed us that he
had to communicate u piece OF news
which marked new era in medical
science. nothing less than the discov.
cry OF method by which the most
important operations could be per-
formed while the patient undergoing
the operation was asleep. Il am
he added 'on my way to the Royal
lnirmary TO take part in the first tr al
of the new system there and by the
by we shall all meet to learn if the
news that has reached u.s. and that
seems to be satisfactorily is really
true. II it be this day is red let
ter day in all our lives.
As q matter of course, this news
created the utmost excitement We
trooped of to the Royal intirmary as
fast as our legs would carry us. and
in due time were crowding into the
operating theater. The operating
theater was thea under the fine dome
which still crowns the Royal in6rmary.
The room formed chapel on Sunday,
and in the rush for seats the best
places were speedily secured. / and
one or two other students got into the
pulpit which formed an excellent
place for observation; others seized
the precentor's pew i Think was SO
called-both forbidden places except
on such u memorable day. The late
Observation-Disclosures, Andrew Buchau-
an, Moses Buchanan, with DR.. Flem-
ing Mr.. Anderson, and the house sur
geons and the dresser5 in their blue
striped gowns. were in the arena and
on tip-toc Of expectation. The task
Of operating belonged to Prof. Andrew
Buchanan, who, before the arrival of
the patient stepped forward and in IL
gentle and nervous manner natural
to him, described the news that had
come from the Massachusetts hos
pitaL explaining that the process con-
sisted in laying the patient in deep
sleep by the inhalation of the vapor
of ether; that it had been carried out
in America and in London; that it was
called annsthesia "a word derived
from theGreek signifying not to feel"
and that he and his colleagues after
due consultation had determined
to put the new method to the
test with as much care and precision
as they could command in the first at
tempt The patient was then sent
for and came in with quite II smiling
face delighted with the idea of being
cut without pain. and rather proud l
fancy, at being the first man in Scot
land selected to enjoy the honor as
well as the pleasure. At all events,
he agreed with the utmost readiness
TO the proposal OF the professor that
he should be put to sleep and DIR.
Fleming, with the house surgeon of
the day for Buchanan's ward. com
monccd to administer the ether vapor
from a sponge surrounded by towel
In a short time the patient-whose
name, | think. was Macleod began to
talk and sing in low voice in the
style not uncommon to the second
stage las we afterwards designated it,
OF the ether narcotism, giving us Il
line or two at least from Bobby,
and communicating one or two Sc
crcts which he might just rs well kept
to himself. He then lap5ed into per.
feet quietude, and soon afterward was
allowed to wake up with the opera.
ton completed without knowing that
he had passed through anything more
than curious dream. feeling rs no
affirmed, with broad grin. just "a
wee bit fou," and in no degree
ashamed of his acquaintanceship with
that condition.