Evening star., 1934-02-24
Two Advantages Named.

Evipan has two great advantages
over any other anaesthetic known, it
was stated at the postgraduate clinic
yesterday. First, it produces uncon-
sciousness more rapidly than any
other. without any elaborate appa-
ratus. and without the patient neces-
sarily knowing that he is being put
to sleep. Second. it leaves, so far
as can be determined. no after ef-
fectS. The physiological condition of
the patient-heart rate, blood pres
sure, etc.-changes very little
throughout the operation. Not a
single one Of the persons operated
upon thus far even has vomited
afterward. it was stated This. to-
gether with the difficulty of admin
istration. is the great drawback of
ether. The other urea derivatives also
leave bad ''hang-overs"
Another great advantage. it was
pointed out, is that tests with rats
and dogs show the death dose" of
evipan is approximately four times
the dose which produces complete
Inconsistencies. With ether the ra-
ito is about two to one. With such
drug as chloroform the death lose
and the Inconsistencies dose are
very close together.
Caesarian Successful.
The most serious operation yet
performed under the effects of evil
pan was demonstrated to the clinic
yesterday-a Caesarian section, which
was completed successfully in record
time, and the child removed in good
condition. At no time did the patient
show the slightest sign of conscious
ness of what was going on. The use
of evipan is also ideal. it was
claimed, for such operations as the
removal of the appendix Several
appendectomies have been carried out
successfully here. 1t also is con-
sidered ideal for such operations as
reducing fractures and may replace
some of the present anaesthetics
used in dentistry.
All the necessary apparatus for its
administration can be carried around
in the doctors pocket, it was pointed
out. Thus the hospital inferno can
go out on an emergency call COM
pletely equipped to administer gen.
eral anaesthetic. Patients can come
to a physicians Office for a minor
operation, be placed in complete un-
consciousness, and walk away fully
restored half hour later.
A notable fact is that when pa
tient wakes from the sleep induced
by evipan he wakes completely-so
completely, in fact, that he will not
believe he actually has been asleep.
In the present state Of knowledge. OF
course, evipan hardly would be suit
able for a serious exploratory opera
ton in which the surgeon does not
know exactly what he will be called
upon to do. or how long it will take
him. Except in cases of emergency.
it was pointed out, it is well to have
an experienced anaesthetist on hand
at all times to watch the condition
Of the patient.
Germans Have Patent.
At first the sleep produced by the
new drug is light, hardly differing
from natural sleep. From two to
three minutes are required before the
slumber becomes deep enough for the
surgeon to start. But once this deep
sleep has set in it continues until the
patient completely awakes. Until a
large number of case records can be
assembled, it was pointed out. the use
of the drug must still be considered In
the experimental stage. Another
drawback is the German patent upon
1t, although it remains one Of the
cheapest of all anesthetics. 1t Is
cheap enough for a doctor to use IN
his ordinary Office practice. Once
100 operations have been completed
here, an exhaustive report will be
made to the Medical Society OF the
District of Columbia.
Ether, which remained for nearly
century perhaps the greatest boon
ever given to the human race, rapidly
Is going into the discard, the clinic
physicians pointed out yesterday. with
most equally remarkable drug. aver
tin, also covered by German patents,
which brings about long anestheSia.
It is rapidly becoming the drug used
in long operations - but 1t requires
much more time than evipan to begin
to act. Another factor in the dis
placement of ether, it was pointed out,
is the new technique by which pro-
longed unconsciousness now can be
kept with the continuous administra-
ton of nitrous oxide.
The operations at the clinic yes
terday afternoon and this morning
were performed by DR.. Charles S.
White, professor Of surgery At George