On chloroform and other anæsthetics: their action and administrationSnow, John
History
On chloroform and other anæsthetics: their action and administration
Snow, John
Anesthetics; Chloroform; Snow, John, 1813-1858
A fifth state of the patient is met with when an insufficient quantity
of chloroform has been administered, or when its effects have been
allowed to subside too soon. The patient may call out or complain in
articulate words, such as “Oh, you are hurting me,” and yet may assert
afterwards that he had no pain, and knew nothing whatever of the
operation. His own language at the time must, however, be held to decide
that there was some pain, which made so slight an impression on the
disordered mind as not to remain in the memory. Pain which is not
remembered is of very little consequence, and probably is but slight in
degree. It should not be judged of by the expressions of the patient
when he is but partially conscious, and using no self-control.
Chloroform may, lastly, be administered so badly, that the patient
simply falls asleep under the soothing influence of a very gentle dose,
as he might sleep from an ordinary dose of opium, without being
insensible, and, when the operation is commenced he wakes to full
consciousness, and both feels pain and remembers it.
Patients, when insensible, sometimes moan or groan from the effects of
the chloroform, and quite independently of the operation. The groaning
or moaning comes on sometimes and even leaves off again, before the
operation is commenced. When symptoms like those of pain are present
during an operation, one may generally know whether they are the
consequences of it, by observing whether or not they are connected with
each cut of the knife. But even when a flinch or a groan follows each
manipulation of the surgeon, it does not necessarily follow, provided
the patient does not speak, that he is suffering pain. Some amount of
consciousness is essential to the presence of pain, but many of the
lower animals execute movements like those caused by pain, after the
head is cut off, and when, of course, there can be no consciousness.
Although the mind, under ordinary circumstances, is conscious of the
attitude, gestures, and cries, which accompany pain, neither the
intellect nor the will have any share in their production. On the
contrary, they usually take place in spite of the efforts of the will to
prevent them, and one may understand that, when consciousness and
volition are suspended, the actions usually indicative of pain may, for
want of control, be excited by slighter causes, and to a greater degree,
than in the waking state.
It is certain that chloroform may prevent pain in two ways, either by
rendering the mind unconscious of external impressions, or by removing
the sensibility to these impressions, that is, by a true anæsthetic
action, but usually, and always when breathed in a full dose, it acts in
both ways at once.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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