Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-06-21
THE FIRST TEST.
Doctors Give Chloroform a Trial
as an Anmsthet.o
STARTLING Results Obtained from Adminis-
trations of the Untried Drug-Dig-
nlfied Physicians In Gro
tesque Attitudes.

While the discovery OF an@sthetics In
surgery was made by an American 1T
Is claimed for three different men-yet
the first use Of chloroform for the pur-
pose was made by DR., afterward Sir,
james Simpson. Chloroform is still
generally used by English surgeons,
while In this country most surgeons
prefer ether. A recent article In the
Century by Miss Eve Simpson. his
daughter, gives an interesting account
of her fathers experiments In his
resolution to discover some new and
unobjectionable agent to produce In
sensibility under the surgeons knife
he was bold almost TO rashness. lie
tried every new compound first upon
himself, and then, with few devoted
medical friends, made further tests OF
all such as seemed to promise success.
In the year 1877, especially, he had
been working hard, holding, with Prof
Miller, DIR. Duncan and DIR. Keith, q
sort OF annsthctic seance every night
after supper So many strange, un-
pleasant and more or less dangerous
mixtures were tried by these gentle
mon that one of them, Prof Miller,
made 1t his custom TO make brief
call at breakfast time every morning
in order, as he would say, chcerfully,
to hear II any Of the expcrimenters Of
the evening before were dead vet.
II was one evening In November,
after having tried several other sub
stances with little effect, that DIR.
Simpson bethought himself OF a small
bottle Of chloroform which he had
meant to try and which must be some
where about the place. A search was
instituted, and II was found under q
hcnp OF waste paper.
II was tried at once. Immediately a
delightful excitement seized upon the
doctors; their talk became brilliant,
mirthful and then positively hilarious.
Prof. Miller, Mrs. Simpson, and one or
Two members of the family who were
present, became much interested in
listening to the doctors as they expa-
tiatcd upon the charms, qualities and
agreeable effects of the new fluid.
Prof. Miller relates what cnsued:
suddenly there was talk Of
sounds being heard like those OF a cot
ION mill, louder and louder-a moment
more, then all was quiet, and then q
rash!
"On awaiting, Dr. simpsons first
perception was mental. This Is far
stronger and better than ether, said
he to himself. His second was to note
that he was PROSTATE on the floor, and
that among the friends about him
there was both confusion and alarm.
clearing u noise, he turned about
and Saw DIR. Duncan beneath n chair;
his jaw had dropped, his eyes were
staring, his head was bent half under
him. lie was quite unconscious, aud
was snoring in most determined and
alarming manner. More noise still
and much motion.
Then his eyes overlook DR.. Keith's
feet md legs making valorous efforts
to ovcrturn the supper table, or more
probably to annihilate everything that
was on IL. | say more probably for
frequent repctitions of inhalation have
confirmed, in the case of my esteemed
friend, n character for mnnincal and
unrestraincd dcstructivcness, under
chloroform in the transition stage"
1t Is little wonder that Mrs. Simpson
was alarmed. But the daring doctors
were cNtricated from among tho legs
of chairs and tables, and soon recoy-
cred themselves and were filled with
triumph at the success of their new
anHsthetic, When DIR. Simpson be-
came Sir James Simpson, he took for
his motto Veto Dolore pain CON-
qucredl, which certainly meant more
and was more honorably earned Than
the notices of most policemen and no.
BILE houses.