FROM ANCIENT CHINA to Boston, Massachusetts
The Painful History of Anesthesia
For millennia, doctors attempted to alleviate their patients’ pain during surgery with varying degrees of success. The most effective use of anesthesia in the ancient world came from China around 200 CE. The legendary physician Hua Tuo developed a mixture he called “mafeisan,” which could induce unconsciousness and partially block neuromuscular transmissions. Mafeisan allowed Hua Tuo to perform complex surgeries, including appendectomies. Unfortunately, Hua Tuo’s discoveries were lost to time, and doctors spent centuries trying to create effective anesthesia. Prior to the advent of anesthesia, surgery was seen as necessary torture. When describing her mastectomy, 19th-century English novelist Fanny Burney wrote, “I began a scream that lasted unintermittently during the whole time of the incision ... so excruciating was the agony ...” Prior to her surgery, Burney was given only a wine cordial, which was the norm for the time. Before undergoing surgery, doctors
could offer their patients little more than opium, alcohol, and a prayer.
On Oct. 16, 1846, at the Ether Dome at Boston Massachusetts General Hospital, Morton
While patients suffered physically, surgeons suffered emotionally. It was not uncommon for surgeons to break down or vomit after a traumatic procedure. At the turn of the 19th century, John Abernethy, a surgeon at London’s St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, said entering the operating roomwas like “going to a hanging.” The first successful use of anesthesia in modern medicine took place in 1842 when medical student William E. Clarke used ether to painlessly remove a female patient’s tooth. But when one of Clarke’s professors claimed the incident was just the “hysterical reaction of women to pain,” Clarke discontinued his work. Fortunately, this wasn’t the end of anesthesia research. Numerous experiments occurred in the following years, but the one that caught the world’s attention was conducted by dental surgeon William T. G. Morton.
administered a dose of what he called “letheon” to a patient who then underwent surgery to remove a vascular tumor on his neck. The patient reported feeling no pain, and Morton was celebrated as a genius … until it was revealed letheon was actually just easily acquired sulfuric ether. A number of Morton’s former professors and partners came forward to demand their share of the invention, and when Morton tried to patent letheon, members of the medical community viewed him as unethical. Despite the rocky start, the use of sulfuric ether as an anesthetic became common practice throughout the world. Today, anesthesia is a vast field that continues to evolve. However, patients and doctors can thank these early experiments for paving the way for painless surgery.
Roasted Asparagus with Lemon Breadcrumbs
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INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 425 F. Toss asparagus with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet and bake for 20–26 minutes, turning asparagus halfway through. 2. When asparagus is nearly done, heat remaining olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add breadcrumbs and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and fold in parsley and lemon zest. 3. Transfer asparagus to serving platter, drizzle with lemon juice, and top with breadcrumb mixture.
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2 pounds asparagus
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1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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Kosher salt
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Freshly ground pepper
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2 garlic cloves, minced
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1 cup panko breadcrumbs
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1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, chopped
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2 teaspoons lemon zest
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Juice of one lemon (not packaged lemon juice)
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