The ether discovery

Front matter

LITTELL'S LIVING AGE.— No. 201.— 18 MARCH,

TO THE PUBLIC.

The subject of the ether discovery has now been before the public for more than a year ; pamphlets have been published, and evidence in various shapes exhibited, by those who claim to be the discoverers ; and it may now fairly be presumed that all the material evidence bearing upon the question has been produced. The trustees of the Massachusetts General Hospital, a board of twelve gentlemen of the highest consideration in the community, have made a thorough investigation of the question, through their committee, and published a unanimous report. This report has been unanimously accepted by the corporation. These gentlemen have had great advantages, independent of their personal characters and qualities, for conducting a thorough and impartial inquiry. They are on the spot where the discovery was made, have had personal interviews with the two claimants, (Drs. Jackson and Morton,) and with the most important witnesses. They are none of them physicians, or engaged in similar pursuits with either of the claimants ; and whatever influences may attend previous scientific distinction and personal acquaintance, were against the claimant in whose favor they have given their decision.

Chapter I. Previous Knowledge On This Subject Nature

OF THE DISCOVERY.

In order to an understanding of the question at issue, it is necessary to direct our attention to two points. 1st. What was known on the subject, before this discovery was made? 2d. What is the precise thing that makes this a discovery ?

Unless we start with a clear idea on these two

CCI. LIVING AGE. VOL. XVI. 34 points, we can examine the evidence and reasonings to very little purpose.

I. What was known before this discovery 1 In the specification accompanying the first patent, signed by both Dr. Jackson and Dr. Morton, is this passage —

It has been known that the vapors of some, if not all, of these chemical distillations, particularly those of sulphuric ether, when breathed or introduced into the lungs of an animal, have produced a peculiar effect upon its nervous system ; one which has been supposed lo be analogous to what is usually termed intoxication. It has never (to our knowledge) been known until our discovery, that the inhalation of such vapors, (particularly those of sulphuric ether,) would produce insensibility to pain, or such a slate of quiet of nervous action as to render a person or animal incapable to a great extent, if not entirely, of experiencing pain while under the action of the knife or other instrument of operation of a surgeon, calculated to produce pain. This is our discovery.

In other words, both the contending parties admit that it was known that the inhaling of ether vapors would produce "a peculiar effect," but deny that it was known that this " peculiar effect" amounted to that extraordinary degree of insensibility — that death of all sensibility — which the experiments in Boston demonstrated.

Dr. J. C. Warren, in his work on Etherization, (Boston, 1848,) says, (p. 2,) " The general properties of ether have been known for more than a century, and the effect of its inhalation, in producing exhilaration and insensibility, has been understood for many years, not only by the scientific, but by young men in colleges and schools, and in the shop of the apothecary, who have frequently employed it for these purposes."

Dr. Beddoes, in his work on Factitious Airs, published at Bristol in 1795-6, gives several communications from Dr. Pearson, on the inhalation of ether.

Sir Humphrey Davy, who had experimented in this direction, says: "As nitrous oxide, in its extensive operation, appears capable of destroying physical pain, it may probably be used with advantage during surgical operations in which no great effusion of blood takes place."

Dr. C. T. Jackson, in the pamphlet published under his sanction by Dr. M. Gay, in 1847, says, that " he was early impressed with the remarks of Davy concerning the remedial agency of gaseous matters."

Dr. Jackson again, in the same pamphlet, p. 5, distinctly admits that " insensibility produced by ether," was known to physiologists, and says the question was, whether this insensibility was of such

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a character, and governed by such laws as to be safe and useful under severe surgical operations. His language is : " It yet remained to be ascertained whether this unconsciousness was so perfect that, during its continuance, no pain would be produced by wounding instruments." — lb., p. 10.

The uses to which the inhalation of ether had been put, are various. Pereira's Mat. Med., (London, 1839,) a work with which Dr. Jackson was undoubtedly acquainted, says, "The vapor of ether is inhaled in spasmodic asthma, chronic catarrh, and dyspepsia, whooping-cough ; and to relieve the effects caused by the accidental inhalation of chlorine gas."

Mr. James T. Hodge, a geologist and chemist of rising reputation, known to Dr. Jackson, inhaled sulphuric ether, as an antidote to chlorine gas, in 1844, on the advice of Prof. Ellett, who treated it simply as the established prescription.

Dear Sir, — In the summer of 1844 I was so unfortunate as to inhale a strong draught of chlorine at my laboratory in N. York, by which I was rendered speechless for several hours. While in this condition, Prof. Ellett, of the chemical department in the college at Columbia, S. C, happening to call upon me, advised my inhaling sulphuric ether as an antidote, which I did with great relief, though not to the point of producing insensibility.

Yours truly, James T. Hodge.

Boston, February 8, 1848.

Dr. Warren, on Etherization, (pp. 2, 85, 86, and 87,) shows that the inhaling of ether has been in repute, in Europe and America, for more than fifty years, for relief in cases of pains, inflammations, and spasms. See, also, British and Foreign Review, April, 1847.

Dr. Warren, again, (p. 86,) says, " Monsieur Ducos, in Paris, performed some remarkable experiments with ether on animals early in the last year ; an account of which is given in the Paris Med. Gazette of March, 1846. In these experiments were exhibited most of the phenomena which have since been witnessed in the human body."

H. Chambert's work, entitled, " Des Effets Physiologiques et Therapeutiques des Ethers," recently published at Paris, describes the experiments of M. Dauriol, in 1832, to produce insensibility, by inhalation, from a sponge, dipped in warm water, which had previously been three times saturated in " le sue de la jusquiame, du datura stramonium, de la petite ciqoue ou de la laitue vireuse," arid dried after each saturation in the sun. He says the patients were immediately thrown into a sleep, more or less profound, according to their nervous sensibility, and describes them as " entitlement impassible pendent l'operation qu'on lui fait subir."

Robert Collyer tried experiments in Boston, in 1843, to produce insensibility by the inhalation of the vapors of narcotics and stimulants, and published a work on the subject.

In the autumn of 1844, Dr. Horace Wells of Hartford, Conn., came to Boston and performed an experiment with the direct object of producing, by inhalation, such a degree of insensibility, as to be useful under painful dental operations. He used the nitrous oxide gas, pursuant to the hint of Sir H. Davy.

This experiment was made before a large company, Dr. Morton being present ; and, as the experiment was an entire failure, it subjected Dr. Wells to a good deal of ridicule, as well as Dr. Morton, who, being then a student in the Medical College, had introduced Dr. W. to several members. This experiment and its object were not only known to Dr. Warren and the medical class, but, then or soon after, to Dr. C. T. Jackson, and to Dr. Hayward, and other physicians ; and, in fact, was matter of considerable notoriety. It was alluded to in the conversation between Dr. Morton and Mr. Metcalf in the early summer of 1846, hereafter referred to.

We think, then, it may be stated, in justice to all parties, that the following things were known before the discovery in question, viz.:

1. That the inhalation of ether would produce insensibility.

2. The idea of producing insensibility, by inhalation, for the prevention or mitigation of pain in surgical operations, had been presented on high authority.

3. Experiments had been made for this purpose, but not satisfactorily, with nitrous oxide gas, with vegetable decoctions, and with various narcotics ; and books had been published on the subject.

4. Inhalation of ether, as an antidote to chlorine gas, and in various cases of pain, spasms, &c, temporary or chronic, was an established prescription.

On the other hand, it was not known, that the insensibility produced by inhaling ether was of such a character and degree, and governed by such laws, as to be of great value in the most painful operalions.

What remained to be proved was, in fact, a problem of three parts.

1. The degree to which this insensibility could be carried.

2. The safety with which this could be done, and the general effects attending it.

3. The use this state could be put to, in cases of painful operations.

It will be observed that these are things which could be demonstrated only by actual experiment. This was a case in which scientific deductions, notions, or hypotheses, could discover nothing, establish nothing. It is one of those discoveries which are made by courageous, persevering men ; and for which no extraordinary degree of scientific attainment is necessary.

II. What is the specific thing that makes this a discovery ?

Having settled what was known before, and knowing what was in fact proved here, we have no difficulty in settling what is the gist of the discovery.

It is that the inhalation of sulphuric ether will

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produce such a degree of insensibility that the most severe operations may be performed without pain.

That which constitutes the miracle of this discovery — that before which the whole scientific world had bowed, as to a revelation of a new law in nature — is the extent and completeness of this insensibility, and the safety with which it is produced.

Bearing in mind, then, that since Davy's time no claim as discoverer can be allowed for merely suggesting or experimenting upon the idea of producing insensibility by inhalation, and that it was known to physiologists that the inhaling of ether would safely produce a considerable degree of insensibility, and was useful in cases of pains and spasms, we will proceed to trace the history of the discovery of this hitherto hidden law.

chapter ii

facts agreed — facts in dispute — dr. jackson's claim — dr. Morton's claim.

In conducting the examination of a disputed question, one of the first steps should be to settle what facts are admitted on both sides, and what are in dispute. The following facts may be considered as admitted, on both sides : —

1. That on the 30th Sept., 1846, Dr. W. T. G. Morton, at his room, No 19, Tremont Row, Boston, administered the vapor of sulphuric ether to a patient, and extracted a tooth, the patient being in a state of entire insensibility.

2. Neither Dr. Jackson nor any one in his behalf was present at this experiment.

3. The next day, Dr. Morton called on Dr. Jackson, and told him what he had done ; which was the first information Dr. Jackson had that such an experiment had been performed.

4. Neither Dr. Jackson nor Dr. Morton claim to have performed an experiment, of a surgical or any other painful operation , under the effect of inhalation of ether or any other vapor, previously to this one.

5. The test experiments at the hospital were performed on the 16th and 17th October, and 6th November. These experiments were conducted by Dr. Morton ; neither Dr. Jackson nor any one in his behalf being present. None of the physicians, surgeons, or officers of the hospital had any intimation that Dr. Jackson was in any way concerned in the discovery until after the second experiment.

6. The first experiment Dr. Jackson attended was at the Broomfield House on the 21st November, where he was present by invitation, and he had been in Boston all the time, since the 30th September, with the exception of about a week or ten days.

7. Dr. Jackson does not claim to have administered ether in any case of a surgical operation, up to the time of the publication of his pamphlet — June, 1847.

8. On the morning of the 30th September, a few hours before the first experiment, a conversation tork place between Dr. Morton and Dr. Jackson, in the laboratory of the latter. It is at this conversation that Dr. Jackson made all the communications he claims to have made to Dr. Morton upon the subject.

It is fortunate for the parties and the public that the time and place of the only conversation relied upon, have been fixed by each claimant, without dispute or possibility of change.

The main facts in controversy are these : —

Dr. Jackson claims to have discovered, previously to his interview with Dr. Morton, this wonderful properly of ether ; admitting, however, that he had never actually tried an experiment to test it by any painful operation. He claims to have communicated this discovery to Dr. Morton at the interview, and that Dr. Morton, in his experiments at his office and at the hospital, was only his (Dr. J.'s) agent or instrument ; that these were, in fact, his own experiments, upon the_ maxim, qui facit per alium facit per se. In confirmation of this, he alleges that Dr. Morton had no intention of experimenting, in this direction, and was utterly ignorant of sulphuric ether, and that he first put it into his mind to try an actual experiment, and predicted the result that has followed. So entire is Dr. Jackson's claim of foreknowledge that in his pamphlet it is said he expressed no surprise at that result which has astonished the world. " Dr. Jackson expressed no surprise, as he expected this result." — Dr. Gay's pamphlet, p. 13.

Dr. Morton, on the other hand, says, that ever since Dr. Wells' attempt in 1844-45, his attention had been at times turned in this direction ; that he had made experiments of inhaling gases and mixtures, and, particularly, that he had tried ethers, and sulphuric ether, in the summer of 1846 , that he had read somewhat and made inquiries as to the properties of ethers ; that when he went to Dr. Jackson he was in the course of a direct experiment, and went to get from him an instrument, and any additional information Dr. J. might have as to the known properties of ether, without too far developing his own plans and objects ; that Dr. Jackson gave him no information beyond what was in print, and could have been obtained of other well-informed chemists, and described the effects of ether in the same language that has been used in the books ; that, in all his experiments, at his office and at the hospital, he acted solely on his own responsibility and account, Dr. Jackson being in no way committed to them, or responsible for their results, nor, even, so far as Dr. Morton knows, aware that they were going on.

After these preliminary statements we ask the reader's attention to the evidence, and a few necessary accompanying remarks.

CHAFTER III.

HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY UP TO THE TIME OF THE INTERVIEW BETWEEN DRS. JACKSON AND MORTON.

Dr. W. T. G. Morton, at the time of the experiments, was about twenty-six years of age, and had been for several years a practising dentist in

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Boston , of unusually extensive reputation for his time of life. He is a married man, with a family, having married into a highly respectable and well-known family in Connecticut. He has never received a college education, and did not prepare himself, in early youth, for one of the learned professions. He acquired a competent knowledge of dentistry, and attended two full courses of medical lectures in Boston, including those of the professor of chemistry. The certificates of this attendance he has now in his possession. To acquire additional knowledge of chemistry, he entered Dr. C. T. Jackson's office, and boarded in his family, in 1844. Dr. Jackson gave Dr. Morton the following certificate, to aid him in gaining admittance to the American Society of Dental Surgeons :

To the Secretary of the Executive Committee of the American Society of Dental Surgeons :

Mr. W. T. G. Morton, dentist, entered his name with me as a student of medicine, March 20th, 1844, and attended to practical anatomy, in the Massachusetts Medical College, during the winter of that year ; where he dissected with diligence and zeal, and paid special attention to the anatomy of the head and throat — parts of human anatomy particularly important to the surgeon dentist. He also studied Bell's and other standard works on anatomy, and attended the lectures of Drs. Warren, Hay ward, and other professors. I would recommend him as a suitable person for admission as a dental surgeon. He is a skilful operator in dentistry, both in the surgical and mechanical departments, and has studied the chemical properties of the ingredients required for the manufacture of artificial teeth.

Charles T. Jackson, M. D.

Dr. Morten was, for a while, in partnership with Dr. Horace Wells, but this connection was dissolved, and Dr. Wells established himself in Hartford, Conn. In December, 1844, Dr. Wells came to Boston, and requested Dr. Morton to introduce him to the officers of the Medical College, in order that he might make some remarks, and try his experiment to produce insensibility by the inhalation of nitrous oxide gas.

Dr. Warren on Etherization, (p. 85,) cited ante, says, " Sir Humphrey Davy himself successfully employed the inhalation of nitrous oxide for the relief of pain. In this country, Dr. Horace Wells, of Connecticut, made many trials of this gas in 1844. In the autumn of that year he came to Boston, and, in company with Dr. Morton, visited me at the Medical College, for the purpose of requesting that the medical class should have an opportunity of hearing some remarks on the use of the nitrous oxide for the prevention of pain. These remarks were actually made, and at a subsequent day a trial of the gas took place."

This trial was the extraction of a tooth. Dr. Morton was present. Dr. Wells, in his pamphlet, admits this to have been a failure. Dr. Wells does not profess to have tried, or made any allusion to, the use of ether, at this time.

Dr. Morton, in his memoir to the French Academy, says, that after this experiment his mind was frequently directed to this subject, and that he read books, and made inquiries, occasionally, bearing upon it. Of this, we have, besides his own statement, the evidence of the following bill, which shows that, about six weeks after Dr. Wells' experiment, he purchased several books, some of which contained information on the subject of ether, and, among others, Pereira's Mat. Med., referred to above.

Boston, May 3, 1845.

Dr. Morton,

Bought of Benj. B. Mussey, 1 Hooper's Dict'y, . . . . $ 3 00

1 Duitt's Surgery 3 00

1 Watson's Pract., . . . . 3 00

1 Pereira's Mat. Med.

1 Webster's Chem.,

18 75 6 50

25 25 . 2 50

Received Pay't, &c,

$27 50

B. B. Mussey,

By &c. &e.

But there is one fact which, we submit to the judgment of every reader, raises a fair presumption in favor of the truth of this statement. It is well known that Dr. Morton has given unusual attention to the branch of mechanical dentistry, that is, the business of preparing and fitting sets of artificial teeth. This requires the extraction of several teeth at once, usually a very painful operation : one which deters many persons from undergoing it, and obliges many to abandon the attempt after having entered upon it. This is especially the case with delicate females. Thus, Dr. Morton had a direct pecuniary motive, bearing almost daily upon him, to alleviate or annihilate pain under his operations. Probably no man has had this motive pressing upon his pecuniary interests more than the mechanical dentist. The operations of the surgeon are necessary, and are seldom performed until they are inevitable. Those of the mechanical dentist are voluntary with the patient, mostly mere matter of greater or less convenience, of luxury or appearance. This is probably the reason why Dr. Wells, whose occupation had also been chiefly mechanical dentistry, rather than any man of science or of the learned professions, took up this subject in 1844.

As it is unnecessary to offer formal proof of notorious facts, it may be stated here that Dr. Wells, soon after the experiment of 1844, gave up dentistry, and was employed variously, part of the time in preparing and exhibiting a collection of birds, and afterwards as an agent for the sale of shower baths. And, still later, he went to Europe to purchase pictures for resale in this country ; he was there engaged in this enterprise, when he put in his claim to this discovery ; and remained in the same business until his death, in January, 1848.

We will now present the evidence on the point, that Dr. Morton did experiment upon this subject, and for this end, in the summer of 1846, some

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three months before the interview with Dr. Jackson. In presenting the evidence of Mr. Theodore Metcalf, it is unnecessary to make any remark to a Boston public. But for the information of persons at a distance we make the following extract from the report of the trustees of the Massachusetts General Hospital, who say that in his professional capacity " he has long possessed, in the highest degree, the confidence and respect of the medical profession ; and there is no one in the community whose personal character would give higher authority to any statement of facts distinctly and positively made."

Mr. Theodore Metcalf — in a note to Dr. Morton, dated Dec. 20, 1847 — says, " I can only state, that I remember to have met you at Mr. Burnett's store early in the summer of 1846, and to have had a conversation with you in regard to the medicinal qualities of sulphuric ether, a quantity of which you were then purchasing. I cannot, as you desire, give the precise date, but know it to have been previous to July 6, as I left Boston on that day for a tour, from which I have but a few weeks returned." Mr. Metcalf also, subsequently, sent the following letter.

Sir — In answer to your inquiry respecting the nature of my interview with Mr. Morton, I can only add to my note of December 20, that the conversation was commenced by some inquiry on his part, concerning the nature and effects of sulphuric ether, a vial of which he then held in his hand.

In answer to his several questions, I gave him such information as he could have obtained from any intelligent apothecary at that time, and also related to him some personal experience as to its use as a substitute for the nitrous oxide ; adding the then generally received opinion, that its excessive inhalation would produce dangerous, if not fatal consequences. Some reference was made — but whether by Mr. Morton or myself, I cannot remember — to the unsuccessful experiments of hisformerpartner, Mr. Wells, with the nitrous oxide. It was one of those casual conversations which quickly pass from the mind ; and it was for the first time recalled to my memory, upon seeing, months after, in a French journal, an account of the anaesthetic effects of ether, the discovery of which was ascribed by the writer to a Boston dentist.

I am, sir, very respectfully,

your obedient servant,

Theodore Metcalf.

N. I. Bowditch, Esq.

Mr. Metcalf sailed for Europe July 6, 1846, in the ship Joshua Bates, and was absent, on a tour, until shortly before writing the above letters. This accounts for so material evidence having been delayed, and Dr. Morton says that he had forgotten having held any such conversation until reminded of it by Mr. Metcalf, after his return.

This evidence puts the date, fortunately, beyond all question ; and it may be considered as establishing these facts ; viz. :

That Dr. Morton purchased a vial of sulphuric ether at Mr. Burnett's early in the summer of 1846, certainly before July 6th.

That he made inquiries as to its effects on the system, with reference both to the danger attending its use, and to the state in which it would put the person who inhaled it.

That this was connected with the unsuccessful experiment of Dr. Wells, to produce insensibility by nitrous oxide gas.

And, lastly, that Dr. Morton could not have been utterly ignorant of suphuric ether and its effects on the 30th of September following.

Can there be a doubt that, at this time, Dr. Morton at least had in his mind the idea, that the result which Dr. Wells failed to produce by nitrous oxide, might be produced by sulphuric ether?

In offering the deposition of Mr. Francis Whitman, we make the following extracts from the trustees' report. And we remark, once for all, that when we thus present vouchers for the character of any witness, it must be understood that we do it for the information of persons to whom he is a stranger.

" Francis Whitman, one of these deponents, has recently died ; his truthfulness seems to be unquestionable." And again, " Whitman, whose character even Dr. Gay admitted to have been above suspicion." The certificates to the character of Mr. Whitman, in the place where he was bom and passed his childhood and early youth, and where his family is of high standing and worth, are couched in the strongest terms, and are from persons holding public offices of trust and honor.

Boston, March 25, 1847.

I, Francis Whitman, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, student at dentistry, on oath depose and say —

That I have often heard Dr. Morton speak about discovering some means of extracting teeth without pain. This discovery appeared to be the subject of his thoughts and investigations during the greater part of last year, i. e., 1846. One day — I think it was previous to July, 1846 — Dr. M., in speaking of the improvements he had made in his profession, and of some one improvement in particular, said, if he could only extract teeth without pain, he " would make a stir." I replied, that I hardly thought it could be done. He said, he believed it could, and that he would find out something yet to accomplish his purpose. In conversation with Dr. M., some time in July, he spoke of having his patients come in at one door, having all their teeth extracted without pain and without knowing it, and then going into the next room, and having a full set put in.

I recollect Dr. Morton came into the office one day in great glee, and exclaimed, that he had " found it," and that he could extract teeth without pain ! I don't recollect what followed ; but, soon after, he wanted one of us in the office to try it, and he then sent William and Thomas out to hire a man to come in and have an experiment tried upon him. After all these circumstances happened, Dr. Hayden advised Dr. Morton to consult with some chemist in relation to this discovery. I went, at Dr. Morton's request, to see if Dr. Jackson had returned, (he having been absent from the city,) but found that he was still absent.

I told Dr. Morton I knew what it was that William had bought, and said it was chloric ether. Dr. M. then said, he wished to know if ether would dissolve India-rubber, and sent William P. Leavitt to inquire of Dr. Gay if it would.

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About this time, Dr. M. asked me to get the books on chemistry, and find what they said about ether. I did so, and read it over to him, and I think he went to Burnett's to see if he could not find something there.

After the first announcement of the discovery in the papers, I went to Dr. Jackson's, and he spoke to me of some notices in the papers ; but, immediately after, said he did not " care how much Dr. M. advertised, if his own name was not drawn in with it." A week or two after this conversation, I was at Dr. Jackson's when he asked me how we got along with the gas. I told him that we got along first-rate. He then said, he " did not know how it would work in pulling teeth, but knew its effects at college upon the students, when the faculty had to get a certificate from a physician, that it was injurious, to prevent them from using it :" but that he " did not know how it would operate in pulling teeth." Francis Whitman.

Of Spear and Leavitt, whose affidavits are given below, the trustees in their report remark : " Thomas R. Spear, Jr., is highly spoken of, as a person of veracity, by Hon. John P. Bigelow, and Charles Sprague, Esq., two of our most respectable citizens. William P. Leavitt is also spoken of to the committee, as a credible witness, by Nathaniel G. Snelling, Esq., the well-known president of the late Massachusetts Fire and Marine Insurance Company." William Flagg, Esq., of West Needham, a justice of the peace and postmaster, also certifies to the veracity and worth of Leavitt. It should be remarked, also, that these young men, Whitman, Spear, and Leavitt, are of known and respectable connections, New England born, with good school and academy educations, permanently residing in Boston, and preparing themselves for the profession of dentists.