The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-06-16
THE FIRST TEST.
Doctors Give Chloro6orm g Trial
az an Anaasthetio
STARTLING Results 6btaiped Hrom Admins.
tratlons Of the Untriel Drue-Dig-
nifled Physlcisns In 0ro-
easque Attitudes.

surgery was made by an American ii
is claimed for three different men-ye
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 i'll this country most surgeon
prefer ether. A recent article in tn,
Century by Miss Eve Simpson, hi
daughter, gives an interesting accoun
of her fathers experiments. In hi
resolution to discover some new ant
unobjectiopable agent to produce in
sensibility under the surgeons knife
he was bold almost to rashness. FL,
tried every new compound first upo1
himself. and then, with few devoted
medical friends, made further tests O
all such as seemed to promise success.
In the year 1647, especially, he hat
been working hard, holding, with Prof
Miller, DR.. Duncan and DR.. Keith, I
sort of anasthetic seance every nigh
after supper. So many strange, un
pleasant and more or less dangerou,
mixtures were tried by these gentle
men that one of them, Prof. Miller
made it his custom to make brie1
call at breakfast time every morning
in order, as he would say, cheerfully
to hear if any of the experimenters OF
the evening before were dead yet.
It was one evening in November,
after having tried several other sub
stances with little effect, that DR..
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 it was found under q
heap of waste paper.
1t was tried at once. Immediately q
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-
tiated 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 cot
ton mill, louder and louder-a moment
more, then all was quiet, and then q
crash!
ION awaking, DR.. Simpsons first
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.
Hearing q noise, he turned about
and saw DIR. Duncan beneath chair;
his jaw had dropped, his eyes were
his head was bent half under
him. He was quite unconscious, and
was snoring in q most determined and
alarming manner. More noise still
and much motion.
"Then his eyes overlook DR.. Keith's
feet and legs making valorous efforts
to overturn the supper table, or more
probably to annihilate everything that
was on it. say more probably for
frequent repetitions of inhalation have
in the case Of my esteemed
friend, q character for maniacal and
destructiveness, under
:hloroform in the transition stage"
It is little wonder that Mrs. Simpson
vas alarmed. But the daring doctors
we're extricated from among the legs
If chairs and tables, and soon recov-
,red themselves and were filled with
triumph at the success of their new
Inaesthetic. When DR.. Simpson be-
came Sir James Simpson, he took for
his motto Victo Dolore (pain con-
luered), which certainly meant more
md was more honorably earned than
he notices of most Doblemen and mo-
lie houses.