A narrative of events connected with the introduction of sulphuric ether into surgical use / By Richard Manning Hodges.

  • Hodges, Richard M. (Richard Manning), 1827-1896.
Date:
1891
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A narrative of events connected with the introduction of sulphuric ether into surgical use / By Richard Manning Hodges. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    This led Dr. Morton to seek for some method of painless extraction. He tried every expedient within his knowledge in order to accomplish this object. He persistently experimented with alco- hol, with laudanum in large doses of three hun- dred drops, with opium in powders of ten or twelve grains each, and even with animal mag- netism or mesmerism; but met only with failure and discouragement. In July, 1844, Miss Parrott, of Gloucester, Massachusetts, called at Dr. Morton's office to have a tooth filled. It was extremely sensitive ; and to deaden the pain, he made use of some carefully prepared chloric ether, which his pre- ceptor, Dr. C. T. Jackson, had told him he had successfully employed, as toothache drops, when in general practice. Dr. Jackson had even sent phials of chloric ether to Dr. Morton and to two other dentists of Boston, recommending it for killing the nerves of decayed teeth, instead of arsenic, then commonly adopted for that pur- pose. Its apparently beneficial effect when used upon Miss Parrott's tooth, decided Dr. Morton to learn all he could about a drug which was ap- parently so efficacious in producing a benumbing influence when locally applied.