Surgery - Anaesthetics Flashcards
IGCSE History 1848 - 1948 (19 cards)
What did an American dentist discover about ether in 1846?
Ether was stronger than laughing gas
Who first used ether in surgery and when?
Robert Liston in 1847
What was significant about the use of ether in surgery?
Patients did not need to be held down and were unaware of the surgery
Who began to administer ether for major surgeries?
John Snow
List two limitations of ether as an anaesthetic
- Caused vomiting
- Irritated the lungs
What was a major drawback of ether related to safety?
It was unstable and flammable
How did James Simpson discover chloroform?
He was knocked unconscious by it
What was chloroform initially used for in 1847?
To relieve labour pains in childbirth
What impact did Queen Victoria’s use of chloroform have?
Increased acceptance for the anaesthetic
Who administered chloroform to Queen Victoria?
John Snow in 1853
When was the chloroform inhaler made and by who
1848 by John Snow
What was the fate of John Snow’s experiment with amylene in 1856?
He abandoned it after two patients died
When was nitrous oxide first used, and when was the first death reported?
Used in 1868; first death reported in 1873
What was a Christian opposition argument against chloroform?
Women should feel pain during childbirth due to biblical reasons
What medical argument was made against chloroform?
It was new and untried, and safe dosages were unknown
Who died after being given chloroform for a toenail removal?
Hannah Greener
What was the effect of chloroform on surgery duration and safety?
Surgeries could take longer periods of time but infection was still a problem
What was the ‘Black Period’ of surgery characterized by?
Increased blood loss and infection due to unclean equipment
What risk increased due to complex surgeries and unclean equipment?
Infection and sepsis
