By: Eshita Chahal
A simple procedure like that of filling a tooth cavity can make one nervous as soon as their teeth are numbed by an anesthetic. However, the times when such modern anesthetics were not available for use would tell a very different story compared to just nervousness. Researchers have experimented for decades and centuries to find better alternatives to fight pain. Anesthesia may be a pretty well-oiled machine now, but it has not always been this smooth. Considering the numerous and countless medical procedures that require some sort of numbing of pain, the long journey of anesthesia will certainly prove essential.
There’s plenty of evidence suggesting that the early civilizations have attempted
many methods to loosen pain. Whether it be the Egyptian hieroglyphics suggesting applying pressure near a limb as an attempt to make it “fall asleep” to reduce the sensation of pain during an operation or the 13th century Italian/Indian method of using a soporific sponge infused with ingredients to induce sleep. Another common strategy used was known as “mesmerizing”. It is a description for hypnosis which was also used for pain relief in surgery. The first documented use of this method dates back to the 18th century. Most patients undergoing surgery through mesmerizing survived which was a huge feat compared to the numerous deaths of those undergoing surgery prior to the 19th century.
The 19th century was an important time for medicine. Many common diseases were discovered and defined, techniques were developed, tools were invented, and sterilization practices were standardized. The invention of modern anesthesia is no exception. Horaces Wells, a doctor in Boston, saw a performance showcasing the exhilarating effect of nitrous oxide, which the exhibition called laughing gas. He studied its effects and tested it in practice until perfection. And thus came around the laughing gas which is still used today when you go into a dentist’s for cavities and fillings. A year later, another Boston dentist, William T. G. Mortan discovered a painless surgery using a substance named ether.
When the 19th century was a time for discovery, the 20th century was a time for refinement. Newer and more convenient methods to induce anesthesia were being implemented, such as masks and IVs. Doctors and researchers attempted at mixing various compounds and substances to come up with safer alternatives, where some succeeded and some failed; such as the abandonment of cocaine and heroin for obvious reasons, chloroform for being toxic to the liver and even ether for being too flammable. Today’s anesthesiologists use isoflurane, desflurane, and sevoflurane which are safer and more tolerable by the human body but they still owe the credit to the past researchers for paving the way to this study. One could even make a convincing argument that anesthesia is the most impactful medicinal discovery as lives today would not be the same without anesthesia.
References:
AH;, R. D. (n.d.). Historical development of modern anesthesia. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22583009/
Harrah, S. (n.d.). Medical Milestones: Discovery of Anesthesia & Timeline. Retrieved from https://www.umhs-sk.org/blog/medical-milestones-discovery-anesthesia-timeline
Markel, D. H. (2013, October 16). The painful story behind modern anesthesia. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/the-painful-story-behind-modern-anesthesia
Smith, L. (2021, February 11). Then vs. Now: The Creepy History of Anesthesia. Retrieved from https://www.healthination.com/health/then-vs-now-anesthesia/
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