The discovery of anaesthesia : Dr. W.T.G. Morton and his heroic battle for a new idea. How painless surgery began fifty years ago / By Elizabeth Whitman Morton.

  • Morton, Elizabeth Whitman.
Date:
[1896]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The discovery of anaesthesia : Dr. W.T.G. Morton and his heroic battle for a new idea. How painless surgery began fifty years ago / By Elizabeth Whitman Morton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

    3/12 (page 311)
    ;^ ^^tof 'Ji/i ,>-t r-'' m(o. THE DISCOVERY OF ANAESTHESIA.* Dr. W. T. G. MORTON AND HIS HEROIC BATTLE FOR A NEW IDEA.—HOW PAIxX- LESS SURGERY BEGAN FIFTY YEARS AGO. By Ei.izadeth Whitman Morton. i]Y husband, whose full name was used to prescribe learnedly from an outfit William Thomas Green Mor- of elder-tree vials and bread pills. On ton, was born in Charlton, one occasion he nearly caused the death Massachusetts, August 19, of his little sister by pouring down her 1819. The family house stood throat some extraordinary concoction of on a farm of about one hun- his own, while she lay asleep in her cradle, dred acres, and was an old- The instruction he received was imparted fashioned wooden structure with an im- in the schools of his native town and at mense stone chimney in the centre. It the neighboring academies of Leicester was shaded by old trees, and covered by and Northfield, where he studied hard for creepers and climbing plants. It was a three years, leaving at the age of seven- typical New England farm-house, and the teen, when he went to Boston to begin boy grew up among wholesome surround- earning his living. Here he gained employ- ings, gaining a strength of body that ment in the publishing house of the editor served him in the severe strain of later of the Christian Witness, James B. Dow, years. Curiously enough, even at an early whose beautiful wife took a great interest age his mind turned naturally toward med- in him and arranged that he should live icine, and he was nicknamed doctor by with them. Both Mr. and Mrs. Dow his playmates, for whose imaginary ills he showed themselves staunch friends to the * It will be fifty years on the i6th of ne.xt October since Dr. Morton publicly proved his priceless discovery, and the iubilee of the event is to be duly celebrated in Boston. This gives a special timeliness to Mrs. Morton's paper, the only intimate personal account of Dr. Morton's labors and trials ever published.—Editor.