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This is no Humbug

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This is no Humbug

Join us, dear reader, as we delve once more into the murky waters of the history of our wonderful profession, our passion, our calling.

Grab yourself a mug of something strong, steamy or sleepy, and let us waft you through the turbulent story of the development and use of ether, which heralded a new era of previously inconceivable painless surgery.

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The word "ethereal" comes from the Ancient Greek αἰθήρ, which referred to the "upper air" or sky, distinct from the "lower air" that we breathe. 

16th October 1846

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Join us in the Ether dome amphitheatre, in Massachusetts General Hospital, full of doctors, surgeons and medical students, keenly observing the three main characters sat centre stage:

  • Edward Gilbert Abbott - a printer, and our patient
  • John Collins Warren - our surgeon
  • William T.G. Morton - a dentist from Boston, a second year medical student and our hero of the day

Poor twenty-year old Edward had a neck tumour that needed excising. A relatively minor operation by surgical standards of the day, but not exactly something you'd choose to undergo for a laugh, and certainly not awake.

Prior to this fateful day, surgery had guaranteed one thing - hair raising, spine tingling white-knuckled agony - with alcohol, leather to bite on, or a quick knock to the head as the only possible respite from the excruciating torture of the blade.

Painless surgery sounded like utter quackery.