The Washington herald., 1907-05-19

MAY 19, 1907.
the date already referred to) on the
10th of December 1874 Or. Horace Wells.
a dentist of Hartford. Conn. attended
a lecture on nitrous oxide gas given by
DR.. z. q. Cotton. The doctor, to demon
strate the amusing effects Of laughing
gas. administered Il TO a few volunteers
Dr. Wells noticed that one of these re-
ceived severe injuries without any sign
of pain. After some thought he de-
cided that while under its influence a
tooth could be pulled. or even leg
amputated without pain. The next day
he had DR.. Cotton administer gas 10 him,
and DR. Riggs. a brother dentist, ex-
tracted one Of his teeth without pain
Dr. Wells used 1t frequently afterward'
and made every effort 10 get others In
terested in It, visiting Boston and Europe
for this purpose"
From this Il would appear that while
DR. Wells deserves credit for develop
ing the use of anaesthesia, claims
that be was the original dscOverer OBJ
yiously would not dispIace those made
on behalf Of DIR. Long
News of Discovery Travelled slowly.
One Of the many technical writers who
have commented on DR., Longs discovery,
said that had the Georgia physician been
a surgeon in a city hospital instead of
practitioner In the country town; or had
he been Of a less modest and retiring
disposition, or had he lived at a later
day. when the discovery OF a new bacillus
OF anutoxin is at once heralded to the
whole world through the press, there
never would have been any controversy
whatever on the subject Of who deserves
the title OF the original discoverer Of
anacthesia." The same writer points out
as curious fact that both Long and
Wells led up TO their respective disCov-
cries by observation Of, and reasoning
from the same fact-I .. immunity from
pain from bruises accidentally Incurred
under the influence Of laughing gas" as
IL was popularity known.
All those who knew Dr. Long say that
he was fine type Of man. not only did
he give generously Of his means 20 de
serving charities, but all Of the fees he
earned on Sundays were invariably do
mated to religious uses. OF this very little
was known. even I'm the community in
which ne lived. As If to leaven the so
briefly Of his nature. It Is said that he
possessed a keen sense Of humOr, which
found vent in humorous sketches for the
local newspapers and in harmless 'esfa
for tine benefit OF his intlmates and mem
bcrs Of his own household.
Was Fond of Books.
lie was very fond Of books. and spent
much OF his spare time reading from
his favorite authors 20 his family IL
liked whist. too. and. IL is said. was the
winner in practically an the games in
which ho participated. Like his lifelong
friend, Alex Stephens, be opposed Sc
cessiou. but went with his state
When a student M the University Of
Pennsylvania he was offered n position as
surgeon I'm the navy, but put aside the
honor as nothing IN comparison with the
duty he owed his father who. growing
! old craved the love and compauionship Of
| his Young son. In his later years, bowed
beneath the strain Of OVCrWOrE and dis
appointment because of his seeming fail
uTa tG obtain full recognition for his dis
/ coyery. he began to decline physically
Alarmed by his condition, the members Of
I his family and his friends urged him tr
rest. but ne would not do 50. My sick
need me-" he said. when I have done
what I should do for them, I will go 20 the
mountains az North Georgia and recuper.
late
/ A few weeks later he went on q l1nger
/ journey Both whites and blacks loved
and trusted him. and mingled their tears
over his grave when DE died, at the age
/ Of slxty-two.
The Controversy in Congress.
Dr. Longs modest and retiring nature
was never more Conclusively demon.
strsted than I'm connection with the IA,
nous controversy in Congress as 20 ths
identity Of the person 20 whom the credit
Z ~ discovering anaesthesia belonged. II
was In 1870 that DR.. Morton peuJi0ned tH'
national legislature for a reward. Opp0si
| ton was az once offered by Dr. Jackson
another claimant. and by the friends OF
/ Dr. Wells. who was then dead. Thus Dee
/ gun. the matter occupied the attention o
/ Congress many years For five years Or
/ Long refused 70 take part IN the quarrel
! but in 1884 his friends persuaded him t'
/ press his claims, and he wrote Senato
! Dawson "a fun statement of the case iron
/ his standpoint.
/ Senator Dawson informed ur. Jackson
| of the entry Of this new claimant, aD'
/ Jackson went 10 Athens and called oI
/ Long at his hor1e. After satisfying him
self Of the genujneuess of Long claims
Jackson proposed that they lay there
case conformity before Congress. his ide.
being. evidently. 20 get ahead Of Dr. Nor
ton. His suggestion was that he be EiEei
the credit for the discovery and . Lon.
the credit Of the first practical use %
Ianaesthesia. But Or. Long rejected th'
proposal. because he believed DE had ;
Just claim 10 both. When the bill reiat
ing 10 the matter which carried an ap
preparation Of 10000 for the real dis
coverer. was brought VI in the SENATE
/ shortly thereafter. the friends Of Well
and Morton awaited the result with conn
dance But Senator Dawson arose ant
said he had a letter from DR.. Jackson
acknowledging that Dr. Long undoubtedl'
had used ether before any of the othe
claimants OF the prize. As final result
the bill was allowed % die. Several year
later DR.. jackson wrote an article in th
Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, il
which he gave the Georgia physician
credit for the discovery and first use o
ether as an anaesthetic.
DIR. Longs Daughter Here.
A point Of interest to Washingtonian
in connection with the prospective placin
OF DR.. Longs statue in Statuary Hall
that a daughter Of his, Mrs. Florenc
Long Barlow, is a resident of this city.