19th Century Flashcards
At start of 19th century what were three key problems with surgery
Pain
Infection
Blood loss
What did Humphrey Davy discover and when
1799 - Nitrous oxide worked as an effective local anaesthetic
What is nitrous oxide commonly known as
Laughing gas
When did people start using nitrous oxide
After Humphrey Davy died
What did William Morton discover
Ether as an anaesthetic
What were the problems with ether
Flammable and patients complained of sore throat of feeling sick
Who was James Simpson
Scottish doctor
What did James Simpson discover and when
In 1847 he and his friends experimented with chloroform and he found it was a general anaesthetic
Which other anaesthetic did chloroform replace as most widely used anaesthetic
Ether
What did chloroform allow
More complex operations and no pain for the patient
Why did some people oppose anaesthetic
Some people argued pain in childbirth was sent by god so anaesthetics interfered
When not used carefully anaesthetic
S could be dangerous
British army banned the use of chloroform
What did John Snow devise in the 1850s
Chloroform inhaler
Why was the invention of the chloroform inhaler significant
Doctors could control amount of chloroform given to patient. Which made it safer.
Which queen used chloroform for labour
1853 queen Victoria birthed her eighth child using chloroform
Why was a queen using chloroform significant
Gave public reassurance that chloroform was safe and effective
