Anesthesia during the Civil War
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Chloroform was first proposed in the 1800s. It was more popular than ether (see below) during Civil War times (1861-1865). Chloroform was primarily used to numb the pain and/or trauma from amputations because it had narcotic effects on the nervous system. It was made through the chlorination of methane gas. Chloroform occurred faster and was non-flammable. It was also sweet smelling and colorless. However, there were some drawbacks to this anesthetic. It was administered by dripping the liquid onto a sponge or cloth and the patient would inhale the vapors. This was riskier than the administration of ether, and it was hard to determine the difference between a fatal dose or an effective dose. Because of this, fatalities happened, starting in 1848. Later on, chloroform was shown to be carcinogenic in lab animals and as of today, it is no longer used in surgery or any other types of medication; instead, it is considered hazardous.
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Ether was first used in the 1500s. It was used to treat scurvy and pulmonary infections before it was used as an anesthetic. It was unpopular because it is highly flammable, making it a fire and explosion hazard. Ether was different than anesthetics nowadays because it numbed the pain but kept the patient conscious. Like chloroform, it was colorless and smelled nice. As of today, ether is no longer used in surgeries in its pure form, but halogenated ether, also known as isoflurane, is used often.