Surgery

• What was the main concern about chloroform's use in childbirth?

  It could affect the baby negatively
• Why did some doctors believe unconscious patients were at greater risk?

  They thought pain kept patients alert
• What problem did chloroform solve in surgery?

  It alleviated pain during operations
• What was a significant risk associated with chloroform dosage?

  Overdose could lead to death
• How did chloroform affect the complexity of surgeries?

  Surgeons attempted longer, complicated operations
• What hygiene issues contributed to infections during surgery?

  Bloody hands and unhygienic equipment
• What is gangrene and how does it relate to surgery?

  Infection around surgery wounds
• What can happen if blood supply is cut off too long during surgery?

  Increased risk of gangrene
• What were the main problems and solutions in 19th-century surgery?

  • Problems:
  • Pain
  • Infection
  • Blood loss
  • Solutions:
  • Ether for pain relief
  • Chloroform for fewer side effects
  • Tourniquets for blood loss
• What was the effect of ether on patients during surgery?

  Loss of feeling and consciousness
• What were the side effects of ether as an anesthetic?

  Caused vomiting and lung irritation
• Why was ether considered dangerous in operating theatres?

  It was highly flammable
• Who experimented with ether in 1846 for surgery?

  Robert Liston
• What did James Simpson do to find a better anesthetic?

  He inhaled various gases in experiments
• What happened to the rabbits during Simpson's experiments?

  They died overnight after inhaling gas
• What were the key developments in anesthesia during the 19th century?

  • Ether introduced for pain relief
  • Chloroform developed with fewer side effects
  • Simpson's experiments with various gases