Report of a committee of the Boston Society for Medical Improvement, on the alleged dangers which accompany the inhalation of the vapor of sulphuric ether.

  • Boston Society for Medical Improvement (Mass.)
Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of a committee of the Boston Society for Medical Improvement, on the alleged dangers which accompany the inhalation of the vapor of sulphuric ether. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    presenting various anomalous, nervous symptoms; amongst others, slightly recurring delirium. The stump did not take on a healthy reparative process. (British and Foreign Med.-Chir. Review, Vol. 23, p. 558.) 7. Kopezky, Vienna, 1847. Amputation of the thigh, under sul- phuric ether, for white-swelling of the knee, in a man, lean and cachec- tic, from long duration of the disease. On the third day from the operation the wound became gangrenous ; on the fourth day he had dyspnoea, and on the sixth he died without any considerable rigor or heat of the skin having been noticed. At the autopsy, the lungs were found inflamed at various points, and the femoral artery, for an inch above the wound, was also inflam- ed. The heart and great vessels were filled with soft, pale coagula. ( Warnung vor der Sehadlichen Wirkungen der 2Eiher-Einathmung, B. Kopezky, Wien, 184V) 8. Roel, Madrid, 1847. Dolores Lopez, an intemperate female, ao-ed 50, in a condition of hectic and with shortness of breath, in- haled sulphuric ether for the removal of a scirrhous tumor of the breast, weighing 3J pounds. The anaesthesia was incomplete, though the pain of the operation was slight. The loss of blood was not great. From 10 o’clock, when she was etherized, till 12£ o’clock, she re- mained stupid. Soon afterwards the pulse became thready, and there was sub-delirium. In about 8 hours from the opei'ation she died. At the autopsy, the firm, arborized brain was found infiltrated with serum both externally and internally. Sinuses full. The lungs show signs of old trouble, and are partially congested. Blood, fluid. ( Ue- ber FELher Rausch. E. Nathan, Hamburg, 1847.) This case is cited by the operator and by M. Chambert, as a charac- teristic one, of death from ether. 9. Kopezky, Vienna, 1847. The arm of a female was amputated under sulphuric ether, on account of a crushed hand and elbow-joint. A simultaneous injury of the ankle-joint seemed unimportant. For two days the patient did well. On the third, the wound became foul, the injury of the ankle inflamed and looked sloughy. The patient became feverish, drowsy, jaundiced, delirious, had dyspnoea, and with- out any rigors died on the 5th day after the operation. At the autopsy a slight exudation was found on the inner surface of the dura mater. There was inflammation of the pulmonary and costal pleura. The blood was fluid, and the heart was filled with soft, pale coagula. (Warnung vor der Sehadlichen Wirkungen der 2Etlier-Ein- athmung. B. Kopezky, Wien, 1847.) 10. Jobert, Paris, 1847. On the 15th of January, a cancerous tumor was removed from the breast of a female, aged 33. To do this,