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A member asked:
How was general anaesthetic found?
A doctor has provided 1 answer
GA: Nitrous Oxide was discovered by Joseph Priestly in 1772. But, it was Humphry Davy who discovered that inhaling it inhibited pain. There were nitrous 'parties' and 'exhibitions' where people would inhale it and do stupid and sometimes painful things. In 1840, a dentist (Horace Wells) used it to deaden pain while pulling molars. The combination of the nitrous gas and opium made a reasonable GA.
Answered 6/17/2014
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