Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-03-28
MARCH 2S. 1893.
Deaths from Ether and C~hloroform.

Deaths from Ether ana ChlOrOlOrm
The doctors who attended Colonel Ell
LOOT +. SHEPARD. of New York city, upon
the occasion Of his taking OF with ether.
have gotten trouble upon their hands.
The explanations that they have given
the press do not satisfy oil of their critics
and several pointed objections are urged
against their treatment of their patient.
One is that they permitted HIM TO come to
the operating-table after having eaten two
full meals, whereas they were only justifa-
BILE in using ether upon him upon an empty
or nearly empty stomach. Another IL that
they did not 60 to his residence prepared
with oxygen, which should always be at
hand for urpose Of resuscitation where
ether is used.
If these are precautions which the
faculty really recognize "a needtul before
ether can be safely administered and the
attending physicians did not take them,
then argue and fume as they will they
cannot be held blameless of the death OF
Colonel SHEPARD. But If they took Oil the
precautions required, including n tho
rough examination of tho patients heart
and lungs. they are not at all TO be blamed.
The statistics show that not one person in
10000 Is killed either by chloroform or
ether, and where one person dies from its
use scores are saved from death by opera
tiOns which would be impossible save by
the use of some such powerful anodyno.
We shall not NEEDLE with the scientific
features Of this case. nor shall we venture
70 give an opinion whether ether or chic
form is the safer. but we may fairly insist
that it is the bounden duty of a physician
10 take a bond against fate, a. far rs II Is
possible by human foresight to do so, be-
fore administering either chloroflrn
or ether. That done. should death occur
the physician Will lie held blnmeless by
his fraters and the general public. That
not done, he is guilty Of criminal neg
hgeuce. no matter how the questions at
issue may he CLOSED over with technical
terms.
One Of the many persons who c~rltlclse
SHEPARD's doctors saws that tho Colonel
would hardly have lost his life If be had
been taken 10 the cOmmoucst hospital III
the city instead OF to his palatial home,
near Fifth avenue. Very likely this ia
true. Had he been taken TO a hospital
where ether Is often used it - almost certain
that the hospital would have had oxygen
on hand. aud the prompt administration
of oxygen when the ether hogan to sicken
him might have saved his life.
However. III a statement published by
the physicians Yesterday they aver that
they did warn Colonel SHEPARD that he
must refrain from eating any full meal for
several hours previous to coming to the
operating table. and that they did make
the usual examination ms TO the condition
Of his heart and lungs. 1t does MOI appear
whether Colonel SHEPARD obeyed their IN
junction against eating. II Is admitted
that the physicians carried no oxygen with
them TO their patients residence.
The Coroner's inquest will no doubt
bring out the truth, and we trust will ex-
onerate the doctors. No autopsy was
deemed necessary.
We know that the discussion oi.these
questions in the daily press is not com
mended by physicians generally; but our
opinion Is that it will do good rather than
harm, and that the results will be bene-
fetal both to physicians and the public.
II will make the former more careful than
ever. aud it is impossible for them to be
too careful. 1t will make the latter under
stand that the physician who adopts every
known measure of precaution and skill Is
not 20 be held responsible for unfortunate
consequences consequences. however,
which do not occur more than once in
10000 cases. Indeed, in view of the good
which will be done by the campaign of
education" started by this case of Colonel
SHEPARD's. We may well believe that the
percentage of deaths will hereafter be
smaller than ever before.