Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

Tag: surgical anesthetic

  • William Morton first demonstrates the use of ether anesthesia

    In 1846 the dentist William T Morton first publicly demonstrated the use of inhaled ether as a surgical anesthetic at the Massachusetts General Hospital. At the end of the procedure, the surgeon famously said: “Gentlemen, this is no humbug.” Very soon anesthesia became universally used in surgery. Spring 2020 | |