Anaesthesia Collection

Simpson researching anaesthetics, 1840s
Sir James Young Simpson (1811-1870), Scottish doctor. This historical artwork shows Simpsons butler walking in on Simpson, who is suffering from the effects of a recent experiment

Anaesthetic room med01_01_0380
St Michaels Orthopaedic Hospital, Marine Parade East, Clacton On Sea, Tendring, Essex. A view of the anaesthetic room. Photographed for the Topical Press Agency Ltd in May1939

Male Mandrake plant.Woodcut from Johannis de Cuba Ortus Sanitatis, Strasbourg, 1483
527503 Male Mandrake plant.Woodcut from Johannis de Cuba Ortus Sanitatis, Strasbourg, 1483. A soporific was obtained from the root and its properties were probably known to the Babylonians

The suicide of Horace Wells, 1850
3478347 The suicide of Horace Wells, 1850; (add.info.: Illustration depicting the suicide of Horace Wells (1815-848) an American dentist who pioneered the use of anaesthesia in dentistry

James Young Simpson (1811-1870)
865072 James Young Simpson (1811-1870); (add.info.: James Young Simpson, having experimented on himself with chloroform, found unconcious on the floor by his butler)

Administering gas and ether to a patient in a sitting position, using Clover's apparatus
527508 Administering gas and ether to a patient in a sitting position, using Clover's apparatus. From RJ Probyn-Williams A Practical Guide to the Administration of Anaesthetics, London, 1901

Surgeon and his assistants, before the introduction of anaesthetics, prepared to perform an amputation at the shoulder
526833 Surgeon and his assistants, before the introduction of anaesthetics, prepared to perform an amputation at the shoulder. Surgeon stands, left, next the assistant surgeon (behind patient)

Samuel Latham Mitchill (1764-1831)
863372 Samuel Latham Mitchill (1764-1831); (add.info.: Samuel Latham Mitchill (1764-1831), American scientist, physician and politician

Thomas Spencer Wells (1818-1897) British gynaecolotist who perfected ovariotomy
527509 Thomas Spencer Wells (1818-1897) British gynaecolotist who perfected ovariotomy, performing an operation on a patient anaesthetised by chloroform, c1870. ; Universal History Archive/UIG.

Anaesthetist administering chloroform using apparatus devised by Dr Raphael Dubois to meet the requirements of
527506 Anaesthetist administering chloroform using apparatus devised by Dr Raphael Dubois to meet the requirements of the great French physiologist Paul Bert (1833-1886)

Apparatus for the administation of laughing gas (nitrous oxide) developed in England. From La Nature, Paris, 1874
527507 Apparatus for the administation of laughing gas (nitrous oxide) developed in England. From La Nature, Paris, 1874.; Universal History Archive/UIG.

Ether Monument, Public Garden, Boston, between 1900 and 1906. Creator: Unknown
Ether Monument, Public Garden, Boston, between 1900 and 1906

An incident in man's fight with pain (litho)
979580 An incident in man's fight with pain (litho) by Skinner, Edward Frederick (1865-1924); Private Collection; (add.info.: An incident in man's fight with pain)

USA, Connecticut, Hartford, Bushnell Park, autumn, sttue of Horace Wells, discoverer of Anaesthesia in 1844

Monks meditate and die
Shahabad, India : six ascetics are meditating in the temple when a lamp sets light to a mat. Forbidden to move while meditating, they burn to a holy death. Date: 1939

The audience at a lecture enjoying the effects of laughing gas (nitrous oxide)
527511 The audience at a lecture enjoying the effects of laughing gas (nitrous oxide). Illustration by George Cruikshank for John Scoffern Chemistry No Mystery: or, a Lecturers Bequest, London, 1834

Morton fait la premiere application de l ether sulfurique pour une operation chirurgicale
5993064 Morton fait la premiere application de l ether sulfurique pour une operation chirurgicale, a l hopital de Boston (engraving) by European School

Marie Jean Pierre Flourens, from Les Merveilles de la Science, published c
2619148 Marie Jean Pierre Flourens, from Les Merveilles de la Science, published c.1870 (litho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Marie Jean Pierre Flourens)

Anaesthetic apparatus designed by Raphael Dubois (b. 1849) for Dr. Paul Bert (1833-86)
CHT235353 Anaesthetic apparatus designed by Raphael Dubois (b.1849) for Dr. Paul Bert (1833-86) by French School, (19th century); Musee d Histoire de la Medecine, Paris

Le baquet de Mesmer (engraving)
5993068 Le baquet de Mesmer (engraving) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Le baquet de Mesmer)

Le reve d un etherise (engraving)
5993060 Le reve d un etherise (engraving) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Le reve d un etherise)

Punch cartoon: Benjamin Ward Richardson, English physician (engraving)
6034991 Punch cartoon: Benjamin Ward Richardson, English physician (engraving) by Sambourne, Edward Linley (1844-1910) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Punch cartoon)

Experiment of Horace Wells, for the extraction of a tooth (engraving)
5993065 Experiment of Horace Wells, for the extraction of a tooth (engraving) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Experiment of Horace Wels)

Jackson experimente sur lui-meme l action de l ether sulfurique (engraving)
5993062 Jackson experimente sur lui-meme l action de l ether sulfurique (engraving) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info)

Suicide d Horace Wels, l un des inventeurs de l anesthesie chirurgicale (engraving)
5993059 Suicide d Horace Wels, l un des inventeurs de l anesthesie chirurgicale (engraving) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Suicide d Horace Wels)

Mort de Hannah Greener, pendant l inspiration des vapeurs de chloroforme (engraving)
5993058 Mort de Hannah Greener, pendant l inspiration des vapeurs de chloroforme (engraving) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Mort de Hannah Greener)

Hua Tuo (colour litho)
GIA3738224 Hua Tuo (colour litho) by Chinese School; Private Collection; (add.info.: Hua Tuo (c.140-208) Chinese physician of the late Eastern Han dynasty

Experiences de Humphry Davy sur l inspiration du gaz protoxyde d azote a l Institution pneumatique de Clifton
5993061 Experiences de Humphry Davy sur l inspiration du gaz protoxyde d azote a l Institution pneumatique de Clifton (engraving) by European School

Instrument for administering ether to anaesthetize a patient
CHT360255 Instrument for administering ether to anaesthetize a patient, mid nineteenth century (mixed media) by French School, (19th century); Musee d Histoire de la Medecine, Paris

Mask for administering ether to anaesthetize a patient, from a medical manual by
CHT235352 Mask for administering ether to anaesthetize a patient, from a medical manual by Jean-Baptiste-Leon Dubreuil (colour litho) by French School

The first public demonstration of surgical anesthesia, at the Massachusetts General Hospital, 16 October 1846 (litho)
5997882 The first public demonstration of surgical anesthesia, at the Massachusetts General Hospital, 16 October 1846 (litho) by American School

Nikolay Pirogov (1810-1881), Russian doctor, scientist, surgeon and anatomist (b / w photo)
5238328 Nikolay Pirogov (1810-1881), Russian doctor, scientist, surgeon and anatomist (b/w photo) by Russian Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Nikolay Pirogov (1810-1881)

Operating Tent, Camp Letterman, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, 1863

Dr. John Collins Warren, ca. 1850. Creators: Josiah Johnson Hawes
Dr. John Collins Warren, ca. 1850

Hypnotism, ca. 1845. Creator: John Adams Whipple
Hypnotism, ca. 1845

Sir Humphrey Davy, Cornish chemist and physicist, (1845). Artist: E Scriven
Sir Humphrey Davy, Cornish chemist and physicist, (1845). Davy (1778-1829) discovered the anaesthetic effects of laughing gas (nitrous oxide)

Sir Humphry Davy, Cornish chemist and physicist, 19th century. Artist: Thomson
Sir Humphry Davy, Cornish chemist and physicist, 19th century. Davy (1778-1829) discovered the anaesthetic effects of laughing gas (nitrous oxide)

Humphry Davy, British chemist, 19th century. Born in Penzance, Cornwall, Davy (1778-1829) discovered the anaesthetic effects of laughing gas (nitrous oxide)

Humphry Davy, British chemist and inventor, late 19th century. Obverse of the Royal Society Davy medal, nstituted in 1877 and awarded annually for an outstanding recent discovery in chemistry

Humphry Davy, British chemist and inventor, 1802. Artist: James Gillray
Humphry Davy, British chemist and inventor, 1802. Davy (1778-1829) discovered the anaesthetic effects of laughing gas (nitrous oxide)

Anaesthesia - Diebel
At Vienna, miner Paul Diebel demonstrates to the Austrian Society for Psychical Research the fakirism whereby he feels no pain even when knives and daggers are thrown at him

Hysterical Anesthesia
Demonstration of anaesthesia in a patient at La Salpetriere, Paris, while in a state of hysteria Date: 1887

2619149; out of copyright

The Absolute Kings Forced to Swallow the Pill of the Constitution, 1848 (litho)
XIR233264 The Absolute Kings Forced to Swallow the Pill of the Constitution, 1848 (litho) (b/w photo) by French School, (19th century); Musee de la Ville de Paris, Musee Carnavalet, Paris

Having created the universe, the Earth and all living creatures, including man, God put Adam into a deep sleep and created Eve from Adams rib

Humphry Davy (1778-1829) British chemist, 1800. Inventor of safety lamp for miners. Using electrolysis he discovered a number of elements. Worked on Nitrous oxide (Laughing gas)

Amputation of leg without anaesthetic. Surgeon uses bow-saw to remove leg blow the knee while his assistant holds the foot

James Young Simpson, having experimented on himself with chloroform, found unconcious on the floor by his butler. Simpson (1811-1870) Scottish obstetrician born at Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland

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In the 1840s, anaesthesia was a groundbreaking field of research that revolutionized the world of medicine. It all began with Simpson, who dedicated his time to studying anaesthetics and their effects on patients. Meanwhile, Nikolay Pirogov, a Russian surgeon, also delved into this realm and made significant contributions. English chemist Humphry Davy played a crucial role in the development as well. His experiments paved the way for further advancements in this field. The image of an anaesthetic room from med01_01_0380 gives us a glimpse into how these early procedures were conducted. Interestingly, there is evidence that even monks sought ways to achieve pain relief during medical interventions through meditation-induced anesthesia. This historical account highlights humanity's enduring quest for alleviating suffering. Across the Atlantic Ocean in Hartford, Connecticut stands a statue honoring Horace Wells – the discoverer of anaesthesia. This monument represents his pivotal role in bringing about this transformative medical breakthrough. The use of laughing gas (nitrous oxide) as an anaesthetic agent gained popularity during public lectures where audiences experienced its euphoric effects firsthand. George Cruikshank's illustration captures the joyous reactions elicited by this novel method in London back in 1834. Throughout history, individuals accused of witchcraft endured torture without displaying any signs of sensitivity or pain—a testament to human resilience under extreme circumstances. Dr Charles Jackson's discovery regarding ether's remarkable anaesthetic properties marked another milestone in this field. Colored engravings depict his groundbreaking findings and their impact on surgical practices at that time. Morton became known for being the first to apply sulfuric ether for surgical operations at Boston Hospital—an achievement immortalized through engravings capturing this momentous event. Marie Jean Pierre Flourens' work showcased mesmerizing scientific wonders related to anesthesia—his publication Les Merveilles de la Science captivated readers with its insights. The anaesthetic apparatus designed by Raphael Dubois for Dr.