The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-02-10
(Eoston Iferald.)

s'O en- N VI tIht ~ VI
men who witnessed the first epoch
making experiment i'll the use of eth
er. DR.. Rufus e.. Chapman of New
castle, Maine. although in his nine
tleth year, has not vet ceased to mar
vel at h simple discovery which re-
lievcd the world of so much of its
great burden of surgical operations.
Rugged and alert despite his ad-
Nanced years, Or. Chapman recalls as
though the event happened yesterday
the scene in the operating room of
the Massachusetts general hospital 65
years ago, when Il large body of
PHYSICIANS. surgeons and students of
n Harvard medical school gathered
to watch with somewhat skcptical in
tercst tho proof of DIR. w. 4. G. Nor
o n assertion that he had discover
ed a means hy which an operation
might be performed without causing
conscious suffering to the subject.
Among the spectators were MANY
OF the foremost doctors of the coun-
try. hut they were by no means unan-
lmous In their belief in the outcome.
There was. Dr.. Chapman says. a pro-
nounced atmosphere of suppressed
excitement. no unmingled with doubt.
Although there was a undercurrent
of feeling that the innovation was a
DANGEROUS one. II tense silence pre-
vailed throughout. for DR.. Morton's
standing i'm the profession was such
as to entitle him to the highest re-
spect.
Today. when the Use of ether has
become a commonplace affair. it is
ditf1cult to realize how revolutionary
We're the principles which the trial in
VOWED. The whole science of
was on the verge of a change at which
me world later stood almost aghast
Will asionishment.
Dr. John c. Warrcnt. superintend-
ing surgeon of the hospital. was in
strumental in making the test posi-
ginning h practice of dentistry in
Lynn. was fortunate enough to be
among those invited to attend.
Everybody was excited" said DIR.
Chapman in recounting his expert
ence the other day. "They didn't
know exactly what to expect. and /
believe h a most of us had the i'm
preston that there was some fake
about the whole thing. although DR.,
Morlon's standing stood against this.
Inc victim who had consented to
the use of the new agent was a poor
truck man who had broken his leg
SO badly that amputation was nee
essary. He was brought into the op-
Grating room and laid on the table,
With Il large black silk handkerchief
In his hand DIR. Morton stepped up to
the man and applied the ether.
The handkerchief was used SO
that the audience might not know
exactly what tho anaesthetic was, al.
though DR.. Warren had insisted upon
being told before he would permit
the experiment.
I'm a few moments the subject
mad lapsed into inconsistencies and
Or. Mason Warren. son of DIR. John
G. Warren, made ready to sever the
limb. AS the operation progressed
the watching physicians noted no sign
OF agony, and after the limb had been
detached and the wound sewed UT the
elder Warren looked at the victim,
who had not twitched Il muscle. and
then ordered the son to saw off two
more inches Of the bone. The leg
was sewed up again and the work was
complete.
AT the close the elder Warren
wore Il troubled look. for he had lit
tie real confidence in DIR. Morton's
discovery. He walked anxiously about
the patient. stopped at the head of
the table and placed his hand on the
mans forehead. He touched the pa
tents eEelids and thcn listened to his
heart. Turning to the watchers, he
said: Gentlemen. he ma come out
of this all right
"Ihe words had hardly been ut
tered when the man on the table on
ened his eNcs. moNcd his body a little
and. looking at the surgeon, said inn
patiently: Well, if YOU men arc go
ing to cut that leg off, why in the dev-
il don't YOU do it?'
"We could hardly believe our cars.
me cider DR.. Warren actually wcpt
I0I Inn lsrr
that we had witnessed in that room,
the most remarkable advance in su,.
gerry that the world had ever made.
and ] still think it the greatest stt.,
ever mad in surgical science. ",
knew for the first time that if was
possible to dispel all pain during thc
most serious operations. Yet scarce
~ Il man In that operating room rc-
nllzea ihat the new agent vas moth.
ing more than %sulphuric ether"
70 a Joking conversation hctNccu
Prof. Jackson. of Harvard ]ro1,ogo
n DR.. Morton. Or. Chaman traces
inc inception of the idea which led
to the discovery of the practical val.
ue of ether. "'
Early ono cool p1orning i'm Eos
ION 90 years ago" said Or. Chapman.
INC W. men met and exchanged
greetings.
professor. '"'
Why it's pretty good responded
Dr. Norton. but it would no much
better il ] could only avoid pain far
my patients. Then I could pct ricf
quickly eN' '"''
"'Give them ether advised Prof
Jackson. with A humorous twinkle.
Yes. | suppose 7 might do that
replied Morton, but 1t would Xiii
them. wouldn't it?' ''
They'd never know It," laurhcr
as he passed along.
ABSURD as tho idea seemed at first