Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-01-16
threatened to delay for a time tn

great discovery.
It was all right, she reasoned, fol
her husband to fill his Office and labo'
ratory with such accessories Of his
profession. She even excused him FOL
continually smelling Of sulphuric eth
er and other chemicals. But she re-
belled when her home began to take
on a drug store odor.
Other men than Morton had
thought of anesthesia before. Sur.
geons and scientists all dreamed Of it,
but classed 1t as being as improbable
as aerial navigation. Ether had
been discovered in 1918. In 1886
some experiments towards using 1t as
an anesthetic were made. Two years
later DR.. Crawford w. Long used 1t
in some minor surgical cases; but, ap-
parently dropped it. Horace Wells,
another dentist. had tooth extracted
while under the influence of nitrous
oxide; but when he tried public
clinic the patient screamed and 1t was
deemed failure.
Finally Doctor Morton decided to
experiment on himself. He soaked a
handkerchief in ether and held 1t to
his nose. Upon awakening he found
that he had been insensible for seven
or eight minutes without bad effect.
The same day a stout, healthy man,
suffering great pain with the tooth
ache, came to his office. DR.. Morton
proposed that he take ether during
the operation of removing the tooth.
He accepted and the tooth was remov-
ed without pain.
DR.. Morton communicated his sue
cess to surgeons. They discussed the
best way to bring It to the attention
Of the medical profession and the pub
lie. It was decided that the crucial
test would be a public demonstration
in a surgical case.
October 16. 1S46, the anesthetic was
used in a surgical operation. DR.. John
C. Warren performed the operation.
Doctor Morton was the anesthetist.
Then DR.. Morton's long fight to prove
his theory was over. Anesthesia was
fact.
But Doctor Morton soon found that
the world could be harsh to Its bene-
factors. Doctor Jackson, his first col
league, wrote to the French Academy
and claimed all the credit. DR.. Mason
Warren defended Doctor Morton. The
controversy grew quite bitter. The
French Academy. seeking to palliate
both men, ordered substantial re-
ward divided between them. Doctor
Morton, always a man Of the highest
ideals, refused to accept. The acad-
emy then gave him a gold medal. 9th
er countries did him more honor.
Sweden sent him the Cross Of Honor
Of Wasa and Russia the Cross Of the
Order Of st. Vladimir.
The United States did nothing. Ru-
fus Choate advised DR.. Morton to pat
ent his discovery. He finally did, but
realized very little advantage. The
government appropriated 1t for the use
of the Mexican war. Doctor Morton
had offered 1t for a small royalty. A,f-
ter the war a bill was introduced IL
congress to award DR.. Morton $780,
600. It was received favorably, but
never became law.
From then until the Civil war Doc
tor Morton suffered various vicissi-
tudes and changes in fortune. Few
men honored him as he should have
been honored. His country treated
him shabbiest Of all. The Civil war
came on and Doctor Morton volun-
teered as a surgeon. He administer
ed his anesthesia to more than two
thousand wounded soldiers. He was
at Fredericksburg, Charlottesville
and the Wilderness.
After the war he went to New York
city, where in 1868, he died during a
severe heat wave that afflicted the
country. It was not until many years
after his death that his name achiev-
ed the honor it deserved. His name
is now in the Massachusetts, Hall OF
Fame with Franklin, Morse and Bell.
The semi-centennial Of his discovery
was celebrated in many cities by ac-
knowledgement Of his fame.-Kansas
City Times.