The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-05
Sir Humphrey Davy Suggested Its
Usefulness in Surgery Fully
a Century Ago.
But Little Attention Was Paid to
It Until Several Years
Later.
A New Era in observation-disclosures in
the Employment of It-One
Experiment.

Nitrous oxide or laughing gas was first
discovered by an English chemist named
Priestley in l776. Primarily it was used ir
exhibitions for the purpose of producing
tho peculiar exhilarating effect which it hat
upon some natures when inhaled in small
quantities, and which is the reason for it.
being known the world over as Laughing
gas."' Sir Humphrey Davy suggested q
century ago that it might be used in surgi-
cal operations where there was no great
e~ffusion of blood, but until 1874 little, if
any, further attention was paid to it, says
the New York Press.
On the 10th of December. 1914, there was
given at Hartford, Conn.,, an exhibition OF
the effccts of laughing gas. This exhibit
ton was merely for the sake of making
money, and it's promoters had not tho
remotest intention of erlightening the
public on the scientific possibilities of
nitrous oxide. Curiosity led DR.. Horace
Wells, a dentist residing in the city, to so
md see the fun. After the exhibition DR..
Wells and some OF his friends in
hailed the gas themselves. One gen
tlsman named Cooley, on being
brought under its influence, became
unusually excited, and performed a
number of involuntary ovolutions and gy-
rations which brought him in contact with
the benches and hoer in such a ann AZ
to bruise and otherwise injure him. DR..
Wells inquired if he suffered pain from HIS
wounds. Cody appeared surprised and
was not aware that he had boen hurt until
he saw the blood ~trickling down his legs.
IT, xvo, ~ &huA p,rY,nn% kko iI.c -
DIR. Wells that u man could, by inhaling n
sufficient quantity of nitrous oxide gas, be
rendered sufficiently unconscious to have a
tooth extracted without feeling any pain
whatever. Putting his theory into prac-
tice. tho next day he himself inhaled sufi-
Gent gas to render him unconscious. and
permitted a brother dentist. DR.. Riggs
(sincs deceased. to extract n great molar.
On recovering conscience Wells exclaimed,
"a new ero in tooth pulling; it did not hurt
rs much as the prick of "a PIN" This was
the first operation ever performed under the
influence of nitrous oxide or any other
anHsthetic. Previous to this time no per-
son had ever yet inhaled a sufficient guam
tity to produce insensibility. Having now
established this fact that the gas could DO
safely used and teeth extracted for people
under its influence, 1 rs. Wells and Riggs
commenced using 1t in Hartford. and OK
tracted thousands of teeth without the
sliRhtest accident aver occurring. In 1847
DIR. Wells unfortunately directed hia at
tsntion to the study Of chloroform and
ether, believing that they were better
adapted for the purpose than nitrous OK
ide. In the following year he fell i'll from
tho effects of experimenting upon himself,
md diod a martyr to science on tho oath OF
January, 18aS. at 80 years Of aga, when the
medical world was ubont TO pay him the
honors his labors meritsd.
After his dsAth the gas was not generally
ssed for some years. but was finally taken