ANAESTHETICS AND WAR

North Otago Times, Volume C, Issue 13177, 5 October 1914, Page 6

ANAESTHETICS AND WAR

CHLOROFORM IN TUB FIELD, To on audience containing a fair number of tlio medical profession of Aucklainl, .T)r, Augustus Waller, M.D., P.R.S., Professor of Physiology in the University of London and chairman of the anrcsthctic section of tlio British Association, delivered recently an interesting lecture entitled "Anesthetics in Military Surgery," The lecture, held under the auspices of the Auckland Institute, was/ given in St. Andrew's Hall. '

The two chiof anaesthetics, said the lecturer, were chloroforni.and ether, and even now, after (10 years of use, the question was still asked-which was the best to use? ■lnformation gained in the laboratory, and confirmed by experience in the ward, showed that the anesthetic power of ether to chloroform was in the' proportion of one to sovon or eight, In order to have an adequate, supply of niucsthetic in.tlio field it was, therefore, necessary tq have chloroform and chloroform only. One fluid ounce was roughly the amount required for each operation; of ether seven or eight times as much would be required. Beyond .nil doubt; chloroj, form was the nmosthctic for military purposes.

Dr. Waller then proceeded to describe the clTeol. of tho inhalation of chloroform, A smnll teaspoon fill was enough for complete niiiratlietisntioni The problem which confronted the sur:, geou was to keep 'this amount circnlntiiig in the body during, an operation as uniformly, as possible. Crude methods of administration 1 had given chloroform a bad •reputation as a dan-; gorous nnir-sthetic, but as long as the, percentage .of chloroform, to .air was kept between one and two it was safe.

By menus of diagrams on. a blackboard tho lecturer explained how the vapour of chloroform coiild.be weighed, bping roughly flvo times heavier than air. Ho illustrated a convenient form of.nppnvntua for hospital iiso, which indicnted npcuratoly tho proportion of chloroform and air being administered to tho but added 'that; siMfih apparatus was too' large for field work. TJio lecturer concjiidod by exhibiting a portable': face juaide'for' military .^ ur . ;posos ;whiel); ojinblpd tho .iiold^^eotf ; ; .iiw ps; being •iohated'iby ":'thi"' wuiideofsoK

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