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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    family, and had since been in the habit of con- sulting him from time to time. His story to Dr. Jackson was this: He had a refractory patient, and desired the loan of a gas-bag, in- tending to make her inspire pure air from it, and by the impression thus made on her im- agination to bring her under control and ex- tract her tooth. Dr. Jackson rather laughed at Morton's proposal, but said, after some talk about mesmerism and nitrous oxide, that if Morton would try ether, and make his patient breathe that, he could do with her what he pleased. Morton asked what ether was, — if it was a gas ; and he requested to see some of it. That this was simply a ruse on Morton's part is shown by the sworn testimony of Theodore Metcalf, that, previous to July 6,1846, on which date Metcalf sailed for Europe, he had a conver- sation with Morton, in Mr. Burnett's store, in regard to the nature and effects of sulphuric ether, a quantity of which Morton was then pur- chasing, and a bottle of which he held in his hand. Mr. Wightman's evidence also shows that Morton, before going to Dr. Jackson's, had provided himself with some sort of apparatus for inhaling ether, and had spoken of what he