Evening star., 1926-03-21
Statue of DR.. Long of Georgia at Capitol
Will Recognize First Surgical Ether Use

appeared on his person had given him
no pain at the time the hard bumps
and knocks had been made that caused
them. Pondering over this. he con.
ceived the idea that the use of ether
in surgery might be the solution of
the age-old problem Of painless opera
tion.
"And when, within few weeks. his
new.found friend, James Venabie, sub
mitted to having a tumor excised un.
der ether-and the operation under
ether was duly performed with not the
slightest pain to the patient-weil
might he have cried 'Eurekar for he
had found the secret that had puzzled
the wisdom of all ages. And he found
boon to all humanity that should
place his name on the roll OF earth g
greatest immortals.
1T Is fortunate for the truth Of his.
tory that indisputable evidence has
been preserved to show that Crawford
w. Long was the real discoverer Of
this greatest boon among all the con-
tributions of the medical profession"
DR.. Jacobs briefly reviews the subse.
Quent claims of a DIR. Charles T. Jack.
son and DR.. w. T. G. Morton, the
latter q Boston dentist. Of the discov-
cry OF ether as an anaesthetic and
their application for q patent for q
drug to be called "Letheon." DR.. Ja-
cobs says further
But when they Morton and Jack.
sony finally applied to Congress for an
appropriation for the use Of Ictheon'
by the Army and Navy, William C..
Dawson. in the Senate, and Alexander
II. Stephens, in the House, succeeded
In showing that they were trying to
exploit what Crawford w. Long, in
Georgia, had IL years before given
freely to all the world--a means to
stop the horrible sufferings caused by
the surgeons knife in necessary ma Tor
operations.
THE claim of Morton Is based on
the alleged fact that he caused one of
his own teeth to be extracted while
under ether in the year 1886. He
never claimed originality for the sug-
gestion, he admitted. and IL was
proved in court by oath of DR.. Jack-
SON that DIR. Morton made use of ether
after being told by DIR. jackson that
ne deemed 1t Of possible utility in
dentistry.
DR. Jackson said that the idea
occurred 10 him while using ether
to overcome suffocation caused by
some fumes created In a chemical ex.
pertinent In his laboratory. 1t has
been thought to be likely, however,
that this eXpedient itself was sug.
gested to DR.. jackson by hearing of
DR.. Longs experiments. since he has
known to have visited jackson
County and was compelled to pass
through Jefferson, Ga. on the stage
route whenever he went to examine
the gold fields around Dahlonega. He
was q mineralogist and had employ.
ments which carried him to Dahlon.
ega- That whole section was talking
about the ether anaesthesia, the new
and marvellous deadener of pain In
surgery"
On this point an encyclopedia says
OF ether and DIR. Long: "He practiced
In several cities in Georgia and
claimed to have been the first to use
ether as an anaesthetic in surgery
i'll March, 1912. He failed to an.
nounce the results at the time. and
DIR. W. T. G. Morton had in the
meantime demonstrated its use in
Boston,"
IT would seem, however, that with
acceptance Of the Long statue
by Congress. and Its unveiling exer.
cises on March 80, linked with the
aftidavtts published by his descend
ants. there would be no further con.
troversy as to the discovery of ether
as an anaesthetic. Stirring cere.
monies will be staged as the statue
of DIR. Long, carved from Georgia
marble. Is given its place in the hall
of fame. Senator George Wharton
Pepper of Pennsylvania will make a
speech of official acceptance and will
speak also for the University of Penn.
sylvania, from which l9r. Long
graduated in medicine. Senator VIII
liam ]. Harris Of Georgia also will
speak and. in the presence of Sena.
tors, Representatives and visitors
from all parts Of the United States,
other aAlsWDeo win be made By Or.