PHAR1101 L8 The Impact of surgical anesthesia Questions & Answers
1. Describe the sur- Ancient world
gical horrors be- • horrific cuttings
fore anaesthetics
Early modern era (18th century)
• Last resort (surgeons did operations rarely)
• Brutal tools ’severed tissue fast!
• Many "assistants" ’pa ent restraint
• Hot cauterising tools (to stop blood loss)
• Patient reflexes ’risk of injuries
• High mortality - blood loss & infections
• Patients had to assume certain postures
2. Describe the 19th A gaseous oxide of nitrogen
century emer- One of the earliest modern anaesthetic agents used
gence of mod- The only early agent still in wide use
ern anaesthesia - Isolated by Joseph Priestly in the 1770s
laughing gas.
3. Describe the first First animal studies by Humphrey Davy
animal studies • Pneumatic Institute, Bristol, UK
of nitrous oxide • Mice, fish, snails, earthworms, lizards - "seemingly dead"
(laughing gas), • Fully recovered in shallow water
and who under-
took these stud- • But intense activity before insensibility
ies • Once satisfied of safety, Davy self- inhaled with very
pleasurable ettects
• April 1799, inhaled 4 quarts from silk bag:"extraordinary
powers of action"
4. Describe the key • Odourless & colourless gas found in 1750s by Joseph Black
events in the 19th • Associated with "bad air" in mine shafts
century emer-
gence of anaes-
1/8
, PHAR1101 L8 The Impact of surgical anesthesia Questions & Answers
thesia - carbon
dioxide
5. Describe the first • Grotto del Cane, Naples
animal studies of • Tourist attraction at base of volcano
carbon dioxide, • CO2 released from fissures produced reversible collapse of
and who under- unfortunate dogs
took these stud-
ies • Henry Hill Hickman, young Shropshire surgeon, 1824
• Began studies of "torpid state" in CO2-exposed dogs, mice,
rabbits
• Surgically removed limbs, dressed wounds, etc before animals
recovered
• Noted absence of pain response to knife
• Met enormous clinical resistance
6. Describe the pub- • 1844, Gardner Quincy Colton began public
lic demonstration demonstrations of Laughing Gas in USA (attracted 1000's)
and an observa- • 10 Dec, Hartford, CT, dentist named Horace Wells in
tion of a dentist attendance at show
in the emergence • Noted pain insensibility of N2O-treated man
of modern anaes- • Injured shin while running amuck
thesia • Colton helped Wells make N2O gas
• Then anaesthetic ettects noted during a tooth extraction
• Premature public demonstration at Massachusetts
General Hospital went badly (Wells blamed nerves!)
• "no-one was inclined to assist me in further
experiments"
• Committed suicide 33 y.o.
7. Describe the key Friday October 16, 1846
events in the 19th Ether and a Dentist's Success
century emer- • New dental technology ("false teeth") created need for
2/8
1. Describe the sur- Ancient world
gical horrors be- • horrific cuttings
fore anaesthetics
Early modern era (18th century)
• Last resort (surgeons did operations rarely)
• Brutal tools ’severed tissue fast!
• Many "assistants" ’pa ent restraint
• Hot cauterising tools (to stop blood loss)
• Patient reflexes ’risk of injuries
• High mortality - blood loss & infections
• Patients had to assume certain postures
2. Describe the 19th A gaseous oxide of nitrogen
century emer- One of the earliest modern anaesthetic agents used
gence of mod- The only early agent still in wide use
ern anaesthesia - Isolated by Joseph Priestly in the 1770s
laughing gas.
3. Describe the first First animal studies by Humphrey Davy
animal studies • Pneumatic Institute, Bristol, UK
of nitrous oxide • Mice, fish, snails, earthworms, lizards - "seemingly dead"
(laughing gas), • Fully recovered in shallow water
and who under-
took these stud- • But intense activity before insensibility
ies • Once satisfied of safety, Davy self- inhaled with very
pleasurable ettects
• April 1799, inhaled 4 quarts from silk bag:"extraordinary
powers of action"
4. Describe the key • Odourless & colourless gas found in 1750s by Joseph Black
events in the 19th • Associated with "bad air" in mine shafts
century emer-
gence of anaes-
1/8
, PHAR1101 L8 The Impact of surgical anesthesia Questions & Answers
thesia - carbon
dioxide
5. Describe the first • Grotto del Cane, Naples
animal studies of • Tourist attraction at base of volcano
carbon dioxide, • CO2 released from fissures produced reversible collapse of
and who under- unfortunate dogs
took these stud-
ies • Henry Hill Hickman, young Shropshire surgeon, 1824
• Began studies of "torpid state" in CO2-exposed dogs, mice,
rabbits
• Surgically removed limbs, dressed wounds, etc before animals
recovered
• Noted absence of pain response to knife
• Met enormous clinical resistance
6. Describe the pub- • 1844, Gardner Quincy Colton began public
lic demonstration demonstrations of Laughing Gas in USA (attracted 1000's)
and an observa- • 10 Dec, Hartford, CT, dentist named Horace Wells in
tion of a dentist attendance at show
in the emergence • Noted pain insensibility of N2O-treated man
of modern anaes- • Injured shin while running amuck
thesia • Colton helped Wells make N2O gas
• Then anaesthetic ettects noted during a tooth extraction
• Premature public demonstration at Massachusetts
General Hospital went badly (Wells blamed nerves!)
• "no-one was inclined to assist me in further
experiments"
• Committed suicide 33 y.o.
7. Describe the key Friday October 16, 1846
events in the 19th Ether and a Dentist's Success
century emer- • New dental technology ("false teeth") created need for
2/8
