_Case 23_ occurred on July 8th, 1851, at the Seaman’s Hospital, Greenwich. The patient was a light-coloured mulatto, aged forty-five, native of New York. He died during the operation of removing the left testicle, which was disorganized by suppuration. “The chest had been carefully examined a few days previously, both by percussion and auscultation. No physical signs of disease were detected. His pulse was regular and feeble, about seventy. He was rather nervous, and fearful of the operation. No arcus senilis. After taking a glass of wine he commenced the inhalation, twenty minims of chloroform having been poured on a linen cloth. At the expiration of a few minutes, this had been dissipated, producing only very trifling excitement; a second dose, of the same quantity, was then administered in the same way; the man began to sing and shout, his expressions relating to the firing of guns. The second quantity having been exhausted, and the effects of the chloroform becoming more apparent, but sensibility being still perfect, and even intelligence almost unaffected, a third quantity, of ten minims, was poured out, and, afterwards, twenty minims more. Having passed through the usual convulsive stage, and insensibility being established, the further administration of chloroform was desisted from at the end of about seven minutes, though this time is merely guessed at; it might have been more, but was certainly not less. At this time the respiration was unembarrassed, and the pulse regular, and about seventy, with as much volume as before the inhalation. The lips were florid; in fact, the chloroform appeared to have acted in the most benign way. Mr. Busk commenced the operation by an incision through the scrotum, which divided a small arterial branch, and some enlarged veins, from which the blood flowed pretty freely. The flow, however, almost instantaneously ceased, and Dr. Rooke, who kept his finger on the man’s pulse, found that cease at the same moment. Respiration appeared to cease almost instantaneously with the heart’s action. Regular respiration at least did; for, while we were looking at the man’s face, he fetched one or two sigh-like inspirations. The ribs and abdomen were compressed, so as to induce inspiration and expiration; the lungs were inflated by blowing through the nostrils, the larynx being compressed against the spine, and, for three or four minutes, upon our efforts being suspended, the man occasionally took an inspiration; on one occasion three or four in succession, so as to make us flatter ourselves that he would come round.... It is worthy of remark that, for a long time after spontaneous respiration had ceased, the lips retained a florid colour. The muscles were all relaxed, and the veins on the side of the neck turgid.”[90]