Anya Conway

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“Glad To Gasp the Gas”

It might be an unexpected revelation for some, but anesthesia was not available for minor or major
surgeries until the middle of the 19th century. The best someone should hope for was to be under the
influence of alcohol during the horrific procedures. Up to 80% of surgery patients would die “from post-
operative shock, infection, or loss of blood” (4). If the person didn’t die from inflicted pain while being
cut into, and pass out during the horrid procedure while biting down on the piece of wood, they would
still most likely die afterwards from the shock. And if they were lucky enough that their body was able to
fight off the shock, they still most likely would die from an infection. There was no way to treat an
infection once it occurred, since antibiotics hadn’t been discovered yet and no attempts in general were
made to prevent infection because of the lack of knowledge. The many culprits for the occurring
infections surrounded the patient throughout the operation. Doctors didn’t believe in washing hands, or
using gloves, or sterilizing the instruments. Matter of fact at that time the more gruesome the surgeon’s
apron was, stained with blood and guts, the more authority and reverence he conveyed. Look at the
picture: even though the surgeon in it does have a clean set of clothes on for the rare event of
photographing, he still has no gloves or mask, and spots a huge unruly beard.

Ether as a method of anesthesia was discovered by accident. It happened in 1842 in a small town of
Jefferson in Georgia. Crawford Long, a physician, was asked by his friend to prepare some nitrous oxide
gas for the “recreational” use. He didn’t have a specific apparatus needed to produce the requested
drug so he suggested the use of sulphuric ether instead, because it “would produce equally exhilarating
effect and was as safe” (2). After the drug’s effects wore off, Long observed with excitement that all of
the participants sustained injuries during the recreational activity, but didn’t feel any pain while under
influence of ether. The thrilled physician contacted one of his longstanding patients who had two
tumors on the back of his neck. The man was constantly postponing the tumor removing surgery out of
the fear of pain. When Long announced the new discovery, the patient agreed to try it out that same
night. The surgery went successfully. The patient kept breathing on ether; he reported that he sensed no
pain. Long didn’t publicize his discovery for a while. A couple of years later, though, it became widely
known and used in the medical world and the idea was exported across Atlantic to England and the rest
of Europe.

Another interesting observation is that many more new surgical techniques were invented and
attempted in America, in comparison to the “Old World.” It sounds exciting until we realize that one of
the major causes for such and advancement was that “American surgeons were happier to try out new
techniques on Black slaves” (4).

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 Sources Used and Cited:

1. Cain, Brian. "Unkind cut." Nursing Times 92.51 (1996): 25+. Health Reference
Center Academic. Web. 23 Nov. 2010.

2. http://stason.org/TULARC/health/articles/19th-Century-Medical-Revolution-
Anaesthesia.html

3. http://www.uiowa.edu/~c016136/Timelines/surgery%20line.pdf

4. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/shp/modern/indrevsurgeryrev_
print.shtml

5. http://unitproj.library.ucla.edu/biomed/his/painexhibit/panel1.htm
Anya Conway

American History I

Pr. Blanks

November 23, 2010

Reflective Essay

All together the Service Learning Project that our class was involved in proved to be rather

interesting and a positive experience. The trip to the Log Cabin Village and the research that I have done

on anesthesia helped resurrect the understanding of how hard life used to be for people and how many

things we take for granted; both project also helped me understand why mortality was so high.

Looking at the way people used to live while exploring the log cabins at the Village, I was

amazed how people still managed to survive and be happy. I think it was partially because they didn’t

know that things could be much different. But when I think about how it would be for us to exchange

our current life and try it their way, it sounds like a huge change that I wouldn’t willingly undertake.

Most things had to be done by hand, and the health and life hazards filled the surrounding environment.

People survived in crowded conditions. Comfort and convenience were not big concerns, day to day

survival was.

I also understand better why mortality was so high. Between the lack of hygiene, poor nutrition,

crowded conditions, and medical practices of the time, it is surprising that anybody survived. After

taking the raging epidemics that swept the nation, it seems like a complete miracle.

The experiences that this project encouraged me to undertake helped me to appreciate what I

already have. It also gave me an opportunity to learn new things and expand my horizons.