The Use of Modern-Day Anesthetics Stems from the Use of Anesthetics During the Civil War
Modern-day anesthetics can trace its roots from the use of Sulfuric Ether and Chloroform during the Civil War. While these anesthetics were discovered prior to the civil war, the use of these drugs helped create developments in these drugs and popularity that these drugs drew helped these anesthetics become what they are today.
The first two anesthetics ever used were called sulfuric ether and chloroform. Sulfuric ether, first developed during the Mexican-American war, was widely introduced during the Civil War. Chloroform was developed one year after Sulfuric Ether and, like Ether, became another effective drug used during the Civil War. The use of Chloroform …show more content…
The pain that came with these horrendous injuries could not be nullified with alcohol and pills. Instead, army physicians began to use relatively new drugs to the medical world, Sulfuric Ether and Chloroform. Without this horrific war, it is unknown if anesthetics would have ever caught on in the United States.
While anesthesia became popular during the Civil War, the way it was used was also altered during this time period. Prior to the Civil War, the limited use of anesthesia used was given in a cloth for the patient to breathe in. When the Union blockaded the Confederate’s supplies, Chloroform and Ether grew scarce in the south. Dr. Julian John Chisholm would later solve this problem by creating the first 2.5 inch inhaler. This new method required five times less chloroform used, allowing the Confederates to treat nearly the same amount of patients with anesthesia as the Union did with much less Chloroform.
The use of anesthesia has come a long way since then, but this breakthrough has provided modern-day anesthesia a step in the right direction. Today, Chloroform and Sulfuric Ether are not used during operations, due to the fact that Ether is highly flammable and Chloroform leaves unwanted side effects. Instead, anesthesiologists use a variety of other anesthetics that suits both the surgery and the patient. Although we do not use the same anesthetics today or administer it the way we used to, the anesthetics played a big role in developing …show more content…
This war is responsible for the way in which surgeons conduct their operations today. Without anesthesia, the complicated operations that surgeons do today would not exist. The Civil War may be well-known for the end of slavery, but this war has also been responsible for many of the advancements in modern-day medicine.
Works Cited
Connor, J.T.H. "Chloroform Use In The Civil War." Chloroform Use In The Civil War. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.
Rowe, Chip. "5 Medical Innovations of the Civil War." Mental Floss. N.p., 9 Jan. 2015. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.
Shepard, Bob. "School of Medicine - News - Anesthesia Came of Age during Civil War." UAB -. N.p., 12 Nov. 2013. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.
Shepard, Bob. "Modern Anesthesia Traces Roots to American Civil War." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 13 Aug. 2014. Web. 20 Feb.
Modern-day anesthetics can trace its roots from the use of Sulfuric Ether and Chloroform during the Civil War. While these anesthetics were discovered prior to the civil war, the use of these drugs helped create developments in these drugs and popularity that these drugs drew helped these anesthetics become what they are today.
The first two anesthetics ever used were called sulfuric ether and chloroform. Sulfuric ether, first developed during the Mexican-American war, was widely introduced during the Civil War. Chloroform was developed one year after Sulfuric Ether and, like Ether, became another effective drug used during the Civil War. The use of Chloroform …show more content…
The pain that came with these horrendous injuries could not be nullified with alcohol and pills. Instead, army physicians began to use relatively new drugs to the medical world, Sulfuric Ether and Chloroform. Without this horrific war, it is unknown if anesthetics would have ever caught on in the United States.
While anesthesia became popular during the Civil War, the way it was used was also altered during this time period. Prior to the Civil War, the limited use of anesthesia used was given in a cloth for the patient to breathe in. When the Union blockaded the Confederate’s supplies, Chloroform and Ether grew scarce in the south. Dr. Julian John Chisholm would later solve this problem by creating the first 2.5 inch inhaler. This new method required five times less chloroform used, allowing the Confederates to treat nearly the same amount of patients with anesthesia as the Union did with much less Chloroform.
The use of anesthesia has come a long way since then, but this breakthrough has provided modern-day anesthesia a step in the right direction. Today, Chloroform and Sulfuric Ether are not used during operations, due to the fact that Ether is highly flammable and Chloroform leaves unwanted side effects. Instead, anesthesiologists use a variety of other anesthetics that suits both the surgery and the patient. Although we do not use the same anesthetics today or administer it the way we used to, the anesthetics played a big role in developing …show more content…
This war is responsible for the way in which surgeons conduct their operations today. Without anesthesia, the complicated operations that surgeons do today would not exist. The Civil War may be well-known for the end of slavery, but this war has also been responsible for many of the advancements in modern-day medicine.
Works Cited
Connor, J.T.H. "Chloroform Use In The Civil War." Chloroform Use In The Civil War. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.
Rowe, Chip. "5 Medical Innovations of the Civil War." Mental Floss. N.p., 9 Jan. 2015. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.
Shepard, Bob. "School of Medicine - News - Anesthesia Came of Age during Civil War." UAB -. N.p., 12 Nov. 2013. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.
Shepard, Bob. "Modern Anesthesia Traces Roots to American Civil War." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 13 Aug. 2014. Web. 20 Feb.