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
The patient sometimes supposes that he remembers all the particulars of
the operation, although he did not feel the pain, but on questioning him
it is usually found that it is a dream which he remembers, and not the
actual facts. It is extremely rare for a patient to assert that he has
felt pain from the operation, when he has not felt it, but I have known
this to happen once or twice, and a circumstance which was related to me
by Mr. Robinson proves the possibility of it. He administered
chloroform, or ether, to a lady, with the intention of extracting some
teeth, but could not succeed in getting the mouth open, and the lady
woke before anything had been done, and asserted that she had felt the
operation. She inhaled again, and awoke, and repeated the same statement
once or twice before the teeth were actually extracted.
I have heard it stated that patients have felt the pain of the
operation, but have been unable to make any sign of feeling it. Such an
occurrence may possibly take place when the chloroform is inhaled too
slowly, or not in sufficient quantity; but I have not witnessed it, and
it evidently cannot happen with a sufficient dose.
CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH INFLUENCE OR MODIFY THE EFFECTS OF CHLOROFORM.
I arrived at the conclusion, after much careful observation, that
chloroform might be given with safety and advantage in every case in
which the patient requires, and is in a condition to undergo, a surgical
operation; and having acted on this conclusion for several years, I have
found no reason to change it. It is desirable, however, to pay attention
to every circumstance connected with the health and constitution of the
patient before exhibiting chloroform, as many of these circumstances
influence its effects.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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