“When in Scotland, in October last, Dr. Simpson introduced the subject to me, inquiring if I knew anything likely to answer. Chloric ether was mentioned during the conversation; and, being well acquainted with its composition, and with the volatility, agreeable flavour, and medicinal properties of the chloroform, I recommended him to try _it_, promising to prepare some after my return to Liverpool, and to send it to him. Other engagements and various impediments prevented me from doing this so soon as I should have wished; and in the meantime Dr. Simpson, having procured some in Edinburgh, obtained the results which he communicated to the Medico-Chirurgical Society of Edinburgh on the 10th of November, and which he published in a pamphlet entitled—‘Notice of a New Anæsthetic Agent as a Substitute for Sulphuric Ether in Surgery and Midwifery.’” Dr. Simpson’s first experiments with chloroform were made in the early part of November 1847, and his pamphlet on the subject, which was published on the 15th of that month, had a wide circulation, and created great interest. Chloroform was immediately used everywhere to a greater extent than ether had been. An impression became very prevalent that chloroform was safer than ether. This impression arose rather from the general tenour of Dr. Simpson’s essay than from any direct statement, for he had not treated on this point. The great strength of chloroform as compared with ether, and the extreme care required in its use, were indeed soon pointed out;[36] these precautions, however, attracted but little attention till the first death from chloroform occurred near Newcastle on the 28th January, 1848. Ether was exhibited by inhalation during eleven months in Europe, and about sixteen months in America, before chloroform was introduced. During all this time no death was occasioned by its use, if we except one at Auxerre in France, which appeared to be occasioned by want of air, owing to an imperfect inhaler, and not to the effect of ether. Chloroform had only been employed between two and three months when the above mentioned death occurred, and this was soon followed by others in nearly all parts of the world. These accidents have prevented many persons from inhaling chloroform, and they have prevented a still greater number from enjoying that freedom from anxiety and apprehension before an operation, which ought to be one of the greatest advantages of any plan for preventing pain. As chloroform possesses advantages over ether, in being more convenient and less disagreeable, it continues to be used, to the exclusion of the latter agent, in most parts of the world. In the Massachusetts General Hospital, however, where sulphuric ether was first employed, it was resumed three or four years ago, and the use of chloroform was prohibited by the governors, on account of two accidents from it. Ether is also employed out of the hospital, both in