On March 30, 1842, Georgia surgeon Crawford Long, while removing a neck tumor from a patient named James Venable, did something that had never been done before: He had the patient inhale a liquid vapor called ether, which rendered him unconscious during the procedure. This is the world's first record of the use of ether as an anesthetic and the beginning of modern anesthesiology.


What is ether (diethyl ether sds)?

Ether molecular formula

Ether is a colorless, volatile, pungent liquid with the formula C2H5OC2H5. It was first synthesized by the German chemist Valerius Cordus in 1540, when he mixed sulfuric acid with ethanol and heated it to produce a substance he called "sweet oil." The substance was later rediscovered in 1650 by the English chemist Robert Boyle, who gave it a more accurate name: ether.


Ether was originally used as a solvent and chemical reagent, but it also has a strange side effect: inhaling its vapor can cause a feeling of euphoria and even hallucinations. As a result, ether became a popular recreational drug in the 18th and 19th centuries, especially in Europe and the United States. People would smoke ether at parties, or use it to increase the pleasure of drinking. This phenomenon is known as ether frolics.


How did Lang discover the anesthetic effects of ether?

An American southerner born in 1815, Long received his medical education at the University of Georgia and the University of Pennsylvania, and returned to his hometown of Jefferson in 1839 to open his own practice. Lang is a curious, hard-working, self-improving doctor who is very interested in emerging science and technology and enjoys experimenting.