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Before the mid 1800’s a person undergoing surgery was in for a terrifying time. In those pre- anaesthetic days, there was nothing to dull the pain but whiskey. In fact, it was quite common for the doctor to partake of the heavy liquor himself – to help himself endure the screams of the patient!
Attempts to dull the pain of patients led to the use of marijuana, opium and hashish in China and India. Acupuncture has also been used in China for many centuries as a pain reliever. It is still routinely used as an anaesthetic during surgery. Needles are inserted at strategic points on the body. These are often far away from the part of the body being operated on. The needles are either skilfully manipulated or connected to an electric current.
In the West alcohol was the most common pain desensitizer. To reduce the pain surgeons would work as fast as they could, but the pain of the operations were still excruciating. Consequently, many people preferred to put up with their illnesses rather than going under the surgeon’s knife.
Experiments throughout the Middle Ages led to the discovery of two possible aids for the suffering patient. In 1275 a volatile, flammable liquid known as sweet vitriol was seen to put chickens to sleep and dull their sensitivity to pain. This was to become known as ether. In the 1840s ether became popular for recreational use. One day an American physician by the name of Crawford W. Long noted that people under the influence of ether felt no pain. He immediately realised the potential to relieve the pain of surgery. The first operation using ether as an anaesthetic took place on March 30th, 1842.
In 1772 English scientist Joseph Priestly discovered a gas called nitrous oxide. For twenty years it was thought that this gas would be lethal to humans. In 1799, British Chemist Humphry David decided to test the effects of the gas on himself. Rather than killing him the gas made him laugh. Forty Five years later a United States dentist named Horace Wells attended a demonstration of nitrous oxide. He noticed that a man who was under the influence of the gas had dashed his leg on a table but felt no pain. That prompted Wells to try out the gas as an anaesthetic in his dental practice. In front of a public gallery he attempted his first anaesthetised operation. However, Wells administered too little gas, and the patient cried out. The crowd jeered Wells.
Despite that set back the use of nitrous oxide and ether as an anaesthetic became extremely popular across America and Europe. Chloroform was discovered in 1831 and was used successfully in 1847. Advancements were made that allowed a patient to remain awake while a specific part of their body was made anaesthetic. Today local anaesthetics are commonly used by dentists and physicians while engaging in minor surgery.
Today anaesthesiology is a medical discipline in it’s own right. Specialised equipment is used to put patients into an anaesthetic state. Anaesthesiologists are also involved in pain management following surgery.
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