Previous
Anesthesia: The First Drop
Trial and Errors
Morton started buying ether from a local chemist, then he continued to research and learn all he could about ether. Morton first started exposing ether fumes to himself and a number of pets, but once he realized that the ether had a positive and reliable outcome on the pets, he eventually started using ether on his dental patients. Morton called his creation Letheon, named after the Lethe River of Greek mythology. Anesthesia eventually became one of Morton's biggest obsessions throughout his lifetime.
Before anesthesia was invented, doctors would have patients bite on a rag or a stick to stop the intense screaming. Numbing agents were common to use, such as sulfuric ether. Before the early invention of anesthetic equipment, doctors used the method of inhalation. Doctors would use drops of ether or chloroform on a cloth and place it over the patient's nose and mouth.