William T. G. Morton, M.D. -- Sulphuric ether. 1852 : Referred to a select committee : Dr. William H. Bissell, of Illinois, chairman : The select committee to whom was referred the memorial of Dr. William T.G. Morton, asking remuneration from Congress for the discovery of the anaesthetic or pain-subduing properties of sulphuric ether.

Date:: [1852]

Credit: William T. G. Morton, M.D. -- Sulphuric ether. 1852 : Referred to a select committee : Dr. William H. Bissell, of Illinois, chairman : The select committee to whom was referred the memorial of Dr. William T.G. Morton, asking remuneration from Congress for the discovery of the anaesthetic or pain-subduing properties of sulphuric ether. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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THIRTY-SECOND CONGRESS—FIRST SESSION. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WILLIAM T. Gk MORTON, M. D.-SULPHURIC ETHER. 1852. Referred to a Select Committee. Dr. WxiiiiiAM a. BissELL, of Illinois, Chairman. The Select Committee to whom was referred the memorial of Dr. William, T. G. Morton, asking remuneration from Congress for the discovery of the ancBsthetic or pain-suhduing properties of sulphuric ether, ReIoRT: That upon the suggestion of the memorialist, that his claim to the diacovery was contested by Dr. Charles T. Jackson, of Boston, the chair- man addressed to him a letter, notifying him of the proceedings, and of the day when the committee would begin the investigation; advising him, that if he desired to do so, he was at liberty to contest Dr. Morton's application. The chairman received a statement from Dr. Jackson, in reply. Afterwards a memorial from Dr. Jackson was presented to the House, and referred to your committee. And on the 20th day of Dec. 1851, at a meeting held pursuant to notice, both parties appear- ed before your committee: Dr. Morton by his counsel, J. M. Carlisle, Esq., and Dr. Jackson by J. L. Hayes, Esq. In his paper Dr. Jackson presented objections to the inquiry, combining, in effect, a plea that the matter was res judicata, and a plea to the jurisdiction of Congress, which were discussed and considered, as preliminary to a general investi- gation. The objections are embodied in the following extracts. After averring that the discovery was his, and his only, and that he alone gave it to the world. Dr. Jackson proceeds as follows: He, the undersigned, therefore, distinctly and unequivocally claims to be the sole and original discoverer of the anesthetic and pain-subdu- ing properties of sulphuric ether; and hereby communicates'the fact to the Congress of the United States, and declares that his rights have been fully admiited by all the scientific societies that have examined into the claims of the numerous aspirants to the honor of the discovery, and that, m consequence of this result of investigations of all the (Claimant's pre- tensions, the National Academy of Sciences of France awarded to the

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