DISCOVERY OF CHLOROFORM.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 2202, 4 July 1910, Page 7

DISCOVERY OF CHLOROFORM.

Prof. James Young Simpson, of Edinburgh University, experimented with chloroform as an anaesthetic on several occasions at the infirmary, November 12, 1847. While in Ltondon the previous year he saw Liston perform an operation with ether. Returning to Edinburgh, he employed it in a midwifery case, but as he did not consider it satisfactory he set himself to discover something better. For months his two assistants and himself carried on experiments each evening at his house in Queen-street. Drug after drug was inhaled, in some cases with injurious effect, but eaoh drug had its disadvantages, and Simpson was not yet satisfied. Waldie, a chemist in Linlithgow, suggested chloroform, and one evening three tumblers were duly filled. Immediately the company became bright eyed and very happy, when suddenly all was blank. Simpson was the first to awake, when he found himself and two assistants on the floor. One was quite insensible, and snoring loudly, while the other was making vain efforts to overturn the tables with his legs. Some minutes later the sederunt was again resumed when each expressed himself as satisfied with the result. Again it was tried, with even more success, and it is said one of the ladies in the house took her place at the table before this memorable evening was brought to a close. Fierce opposition was at once offered in many quarters, the Church taking up a strong position ; but the professor ably brushed all opposition aside, and chloroform as an anaesthetic was universally adopted by the medical faculty.