Surgical experience of chloroform / By James Miller.

  • Miller, James, 1812-1864.
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Surgical experience of chloroform / By James Miller. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    SURGICAL EXPERIENCE OF CHLOROFORM. On the 23d of December 1846, it was my privilege to read a letter in this class-room, from the late Mr. Liston, announ¬ cing, in enthusiastic terms, that a new light had burst on Surgery, and that on mankind a large boon had been confer¬ red. The letter conveyed the writer’s earliest and most lively impressions of a subject as startling as it was new ; and there was a large-hearted generosity about it that was sure to meet with a suitable response in all right beating breasts. The subject was Anaesthesia. And its first sound had come from across the Atlantic. It fell on no dull or idle ears. It was taken up, tried, and speedily re-echoed ; and in a few days it filled the island. Mr. Liston struck the key-note, and a pealing note it was. We followed here, with less power, but we hope in tune; well pleased to find that, high as the note at first seemed to be, it was still within reach of an ordinary compass. The profession were surprised, excited, charmed in the mass ; and more especially those on the sunny side of the grand climacteric. The elderly gentlemen had their pre¬ conceived, and heretofore settled notions sadly jostled and dis¬ turbed ; not a few grew irritable, and resented the inter¬ ference ; they closed their ears, shut their eyes, and folded their hands; they refused to touch, or in any way meddle with the unhallowed thing; they had quite made up their minds that pain was a necessary evil, and must be endured; they scowled on the attempted innovation, and croaked that no good could come of it.” On, notwithstanding, sped the