Anaesthesia Can Be Fun…

BBC Four had a fascinating documentary on last night called Medical Mavericks. Presented by Michael Mosley, last night’s episode was devoted to the history of anaesthetics, and the range of colourful characters who discovered them. It turns out that many of them experimented on themselves first, a practice not without obvious dangers. Not to be outdone, we were shown Mosley being given nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and describing the results. He was also given a device with which he could self-administer electric shocks. Clearly unpleasant when he had not taken the gas, but once he had, the sight of him giggling and merrily pressing the button repeatedly was quite amazing.

 

He traced the story of the pioneers – Humphrey Davy (who discovered nitrous oxide, but failed to appreciate its anaesthetic properties, instead he and his friends used it as a recreational drug), Horace Wells (nitrous oxide), William T. G. Morton (ether), and James Young Simpson (chloroform).

 

Excellent programme and I look forward to the rest of the series. If it comes your way, do try and watch it. I don’t think you’ll be put to sleep by it.