Memoirs of Georgia; containing historical accounts of the state's civil, military, industrial and professional interests, and personal sketches of many of its people. Vol. II, Part 32

Author:
Publication date: 1859
Publisher: Atlanta, Ga., The Southern historicl association
Number of Pages: 1166

USA > Georgia > Memoirs of Georgia; containing historical accounts of the state's civil, military, industrial and professional interests, and personal sketches of many of its people. Vol. II > Part 32

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

CRAWFORD W. LONG, M. D., the discoverer of anaesthesia, was born in Dan- ielsville, Madison Co., Ga., Nov. 1, 1815. His literary education was received at Franklin college (now the university of Georgia), from whence he graduated in 1835. His medical education was acquired at the medical department of the university of Pennsylvania in 1839. After receiving his degree of doctor of med- icine he located in Jefferson, Jackson Co., Ga., where he continued to practice medicine for many years; subsequently he moved to Athens, Ga., where he prac- ticed his profession until June 16, 1878. He literally died in harness-dying at the bedside of a patient to whom he was ministering as physician. While it is unquestionably a fact that to Dr. Long belongs the credit of being the discoverer of anaesthesia-the greatest boon of medicine to suffering man-many and pro- longed efforts were made to wrest from him the credit so justly his. Fortunately for the truth of history, the great Dr. Marion Sims, of New York, threw himself into the breach, and with his wonted energy and ability placed the laurel upon the brow of Dr. Long, where it properly belonged. In the "Virginia Medical Monthly," May, 1877, Dr. Sims wrote as follows on this subject: "There are four claimants for the honor of the discovery of anaesthesia, viz .: Crawford W. Long, of Athens, Ga .; Horace Wells, of Hartford, Conn .; W. T. G. Morton and Charles T. Jackson, of Boston. I propose to give a plain statement of facts bear- ing on the question, leaving the reader to draw his own conclusions. The claims of Long have never been fairly stated in connection with those who came after him. I am ashamed to say I was wholly ignorant of them until a very recent day, and I believe that the great mass of the profession are in the same category with me. I became acquainted with the facts of Long's labors by mere accident. In 1842, while practicing his profession in Jefferson, Jackson Co., Ga., he had four students in his office, viz .: P. A. Wilhite, John S. Groves, D. I. Long and H. R. P. Long. The last two were relatives of Dr. Long, and they are both dead. Wilhite and Groves are still living (1877). Dr. Long was twenty-seven years old. His pupils were all from nineteen to twenty-one; they were on the best of terms with each other, the doctor entering into all the sports of his pupils with a hearty good will, while he never neglected his studies as their teacher. On one occasion they were talking about the inhalation of nitrous oxide gas, when one of his pupils asked him to make some for them. He said he did not have suitable apparatus for it, but that the inhalation of sulphuric ether would produce precisely the same exhilarating effect. One of the young men present said he had inhaled ether while at school, and was willing to do it again. They were all anxious to witness the effects. Dr. Long got some ether immediately and gave it to the young man who had previously inhaled it. He then inhaled it him- self, and afterward gave it to all present. After this the young doctor and his

221

MEMOIRS OF DECEASED PHYSICIANS.

pupils indulged occasionally in ether frolics. On several occasions Dr. Long became furiously excited and could not be controlled. On recovering from the ether intoxication he frequently noticed that his arms and hands were badly bruised, and yet he was not conscious of having felt any pain at the time he was under the influence of the ether. He also noticed the same thing in his pupils. They were often badly hurt by falls and blows, and were not conscious of pain at the time. These facts repeatedly observed, suggested to his mind the idea of using ether to prevent the pain of surgical operations. He frequently spoke of this to his students and at last he determined to give it a trial. Dr. Long having made up his mind to try the experiment with ether on the first favorable opportunity, says ('Southern Medical and Surgical Journal, December, 1849'): 'The first patient to whom I administered ether in a surgical operation was James M. Venable, who then resided within two miles of Jefferson. Mr. Venable consulted me on several occasions with regard to the propriety of remov- ing two small tumors situated on the back part of his neck, but would postpone from time to time having the operations performed from dread of pain. At length I mentioned to him the fact of my receiving bruises while under the influ- ence of the vapor of ether without suffering and, as I knew him to be fond of, and accustomed to inhale ether, I suggested to him the probability that the opera- tions might be performed without pain, and proposed operating on him while under its influence. He consented to have one tumor removed, and the opera- tion was performed the same day. The ether was given to Mr. Venable on a towel, and when fully under its influence I extirpated the tumor. It was encysted and about half an inch in diameter. The patient continued to inhale ether during the time of the operation, and when informed it was over seemed incredulous, till the tumor was shown him. He gave no evidence of suffering during the opera- tion, and assured me, after it was over, that he did not experience the slightest degree of pain from its performance. This operation was performed on March 30, 1842. The second operation I performed upon a patient etherized was on June 6, 1842, and was on the same person (Mr. Venable) for the removal of another small tumor. This operation required more time than the first, from the cyst of the tumor having formed adhesions to the surrounding parts. The patient was insensible to pain during the operation until the last attachment of the cyst was separated, when he exhibited signs of slight suffering, but asserted after the operation was over that the sensation of pain was so slight as scarcely to be per- ceived. In this operation the inhalation of ether ceased before the first incision was made.'

"In a certificate sworn to by James M. Venable on July 23, 1849, he says: 'In the early part of the year (1842) the young men of Jefferson and the country adjoining were in the habit of inhaling ether for its exhilarating powers, and I inhaled myself frequently for that purpose, and was very fond of its use. While attending the academy I was frequently in the office of Dr. C. W. Long, and having two tumors on the side, or rather back, of my neck, I several times spoke to him about the propriety of cutting them out, but postponed the operation from time to time. On one occasion we had some conversation about the prob- ability that the tumors might be cut while I was under the influence of sulphuric ether without my experiencing pain, and he proposed operating on me while under its influence. I agreed to have one tumor cut out, and had the operation performed that evening (afternoon) after school was dismissed. This was in the early part of the spring of 1842. I commenced inhaling the ether before the operation commenced, and continued it until the operation was over. I did not feel the slightest pain from the operation, and could not believe the tumor was

222

MEMOIRS OF GEORGIA.

removed until it was shown to me. A month or two after this Dr. C. W. Long cut out the other tumor, situated on the same side of my neck. In this operation I did not feel the least pain until the last cut was made, when I felt a little pain. In this operation I stopped inhaling the ether before the operation was finished. I inhaled the ether in both instances from a towel, which was the common method of taking it.' Dr. Long's four students, Wilhite, Groves and the two Longs, also E. S. Rawls (now Dr. Rawls) and Andrew J. Thurmond, were present and assisted at the operation. Dr. Wilhite tells me that the etherization of Venable was as complete as it is ever made now-a-days, and that Venable always declared he felt no pain during the operation. On July 3, 1842, Dr. Long amputated the toe of a negro boy, Jack, belonging to Mrs. Hemphill. Jack felt no pain, having been completely etherized. On Sept. 9, 1843, Dr. Long exsected, without pain, three small cystic tumors from the head of Mrs. Mary Vincent, who was etherized for the purpose. On Jan. 8, 1845, Dr. Long ampu- tated two fingers for a negro boy belonging to Mr. Ralph Bailey, Sr., the patient being fully etherized and feeling no pain whatever. Morton's friends have been from the outset clamorous and persistent in proclaiming to the world that Morton was the first man who ever produced complete anaesthesia for surgical operations. The facts above stated prove incontestably that they were mistaken; and before we get through it will be shown that they were doubly mistaken, for it will be established beyond controversy that Wells produced anaesthesia by nitrous oxide gas long before Morton did it with ether. Long's anaesthesia with sulphuric ether was on March 30, 1842. Wells' anaesthesia with nitrous oxide gas was on Dec. II, 1844. Morton's anaesthesia with sulphuric ether was on Sept. 30, 1846. Thus we see that Long antedates Wells two years and eight months and antedates Morton four years and six months.

"Dr. Long's operations under the influence were known by all his neighbors -professional and non-professional. Many of these are still living. Dr. Wilhite lives at Anderson, S. C. Dr. John S. Groves, his fellow-student with Long in 1842, is now living at Dalton, Ga. Dr. A. Delaperiere was the only physician, besides Dr. Long, at Jefferson in 1842. He witnessed these operations, has given his testimony to that effect, and is still living. Dr. E. S. Rawls, another wit- ness, was living in Alabama a short time ago. All these men testify to the fact that Long's operations under ether were witnessed and known by all medical men in his neighborhood and by the whole community. Long's operations were not secret. He made no mystery about the substance given to prevent pain. He took out no patent for his discovery, as did Morton and Jackson. He did not attempt to convert it into money speculation. He published it before all men. It was not hidden from the world. True, his was a very contracted world. He was waiting to test his great discovery in some capital operation. He lived in an obscure little town where there were no railroads and no ponderous machinery to maim his fellow-men and the amputation of a leg or arm was an era in the life of a country doctor. While he was still waiting for larger operations before communicating his discovery to some scientific journal, the labors of Wells and Morton and Jackson and Simpson burst upon the world. When Jackson made his visit to Long at Athens in March, 1854, he said to Long: 'You have the advantage of priority of publication.' Now upon this point Long, Wells, Morton and Jackson stand individually upon the same level. Long exhibited to medical men and to the community his operations under ether (1842). Wells exhibited to medical men and to the community his operation of the extraction of teeth under the influence of nitrous oxide gas (1844). Morton exhibited to medical men and to the community the use of his secret remedy, 'Letheon' (1846), as an

223

MEMOIRS OF DECEASED PHYSICIANS.

anaesthetic. But Morton was fortunate in showing his patent remedy to the great surgeons of Boston. And it was not Morton, but it was Warren and Hay- ward and Bigelow who performed the operations at the Massachusetts General hospital (October, 1846), on patients to whom Morton gave his 'Letheon' that the world owes the immediate and universal use of anaesthesia in surgery. If Morton could have had his way he would have deodorized the ether and kept it a secret from the world. Neither Wells nor Morton nor Jackson ever pub- lished a word on the subject till it burst forth in a blaze from the labors of the hospital surgeons already named. When Warren and Hayward and Bigelow proved the real greatness of the discovery, then it was that Wells, Morton and Jackson began the war of pamphlets, and not till then did either of them publish in any scientific journal a line about anaesthesia. And thus we see that its first publication to the world was really due to the illustrious surgeons of the Massa- chusetts General hospital.

"In 1853 Morton petitioned congress to grant him a large sum of money for the discovery of anaesthesia. The friends of Wells opposed it, and claimed this honor for Wells, who used nitrous oxide gas as an anaesthetic two years and a half before Morton used ether for this purpose. Then it was that the friends of Long appeared upon the scene, proving that Long was the first to use ether, ante- dating Morton four years and a half. When Long's claim to the honor of dis- covering anaesthesia was presented to congress by the Hon. Mr. Dawson, senator from Georgia, it was formidable enough to block the movements of Morton to get the appropriation he demanded for his discovery. They were so strong that Dr. Charles T. Jackson went to Athens, Ga., expressly to see Dr. Long on the subject. In a communication to the Boston "Medical and Surgical Journal," April II, 1861, Dr. Charles T. Jackson says he visited Dr. Long at Athens, Ga., on March 8, 1854, to examine into Dr. Long's claim to being the first to use sulphuric ether as an anaesthetic in surgery, and he further says: 'From the docu- ments shown me by Dr. Long it appears that he employed sulphuric ether as an anaesthetic agent. First-On March 30, 1842, when he extirpated a small glandular tumor from the neck of James M. Venable, a boy (Mr. Venable was over twenty-one years old when the operation was performed, J. M. S.), in Jeffer- son, Ga., now dead. Second-On July 3, 1842, in the amputation of a toe of a negro boy belonging to Mrs. Hemphill, of Jackson, Ga. Third-On Sept. 9, 1843, in the extirpation of a tumor from the head of Mary Vincent, of Jackson, Ga. Fourth-On Jan. 8, 1845, in the amputation of a finger of a negro boy belonging to Ralph Bailey, of Jackson, Ga. Copies of the letters and depositions proving these operations with ether were shown me by Dr. Long. He also referred me to physicians in Jefferson who knew of the operations at the time.' The above extract from Dr. Jackson's paper to the Boston 'Medical Journal' recognizes Long's claim to being the first to produce anesthesia for surgical opera- tions, but it does not tell the whole story of Dr. Jackson's visit to Dr. Long. Dr. Long has furnished me with all the evidence, consisting of affidavits, cer- tificates, book entries, etc., that Dr. Jackson examined. He has also written me fully on the subject, and every fact that I have stated can be substantiated by documentary evidence.

"In one of Dr. Long's letters to me (Nov. 5, 1876), he says: 'In 1854 Dr. Charles T. Jackson came to Georgia and spent two days with me in Athens, most of the time in my office, examining books, accounts, dates and certificates, establishing the time, etc., of my operations. He expressed himself satisfied with the correctness of my claim to the first use of ether as an anesthetic in surgical operations. Dr. Jackson informed me that he would go from Athens to Dah-

224

MEMOIRS OF GEORGIA.

lonega, Ga., and as I knew he must pass through Jefferson, where I resided up to 1850, and where my first operations under ether were performed, I requested him to stop in Jefferson and see some of the physicians there who witnessed or knew of the operations, and also a number of the citizens of the village who either witnessed the operations or were familiar with them from common report. Dr. Jackson spent one or more days in Jefferson, and on his return expressed him- self satisfied with the testimony. In Dr. Jackson's communication to the "Boston Medical and Surgical Journal" (April 11, 1861) he neglected to say anything of the information he obtained while in Jefferson, although he admitted to me on his return that the evidence was perfectly satisfactory.' The Hon. C. W. Andrews, of Madison, Ga., informs me that he was in Dr. Long's employ and in his office when Dr. Jackson spent a whole day with Long comparing notes and talking over the subject of etherization, and it seems that the real object of Dr. Jackson's . visit to Dr. Long was to induce Long to unite with him in laying their conjoint claims before congress as the real discoverers of anesthesia as opposed to those of Morton. Jackson was willing to concede to Long the honor of being the first to use ether in surgical operations, but wished Long to concede to him the honor of priority in making the discovery of the principle of anethesia when he inhaled ether to relieve pain and difficulty of breathing after inhaling chlorine gas (as Sir Humphrey Davy had done before). Dr. Long says (Feb. 8, 1877): 'In our conversation I understood Dr. Jackson to yield the point of priority to me, and so did the Hon. C. W. Andrews. I'did not admit to him that he was the first to make the discovery, leaving to me its practical application; and when he pro- posed to me to unite our claims-he to claim the discovery and I its first practical 11se in surgical operations-I positively refused. I was satisfied that I was en- titled to the credit of the discovery, as well as of the first practical use of ether in surgical operations. Instead of writing to Senator Dawson to unite our claims as Dr. Jackson requested, I wrote to Mr. Dawson to make no such compromise, but to place my claims solely on their merits; and if you will consult the con- gressional proceedings of that time you will see that Mr. Dawson presented my claims separate and independent.'"

Feb. 24, 1879, the medical society of Athens unanimously adopted the following resolutions :

"Athens, Ga., Aug. 15, 1878.

. "I, the undersigned, do certify that in May, 1843, I assisted Dr. R. D. Moore in amputating the leg of a colored boy, Augustus, then the property of William Stroud, who resided in this county, and that I distinctly recollect hearing Dr. R. D. Moore say that 'if I had thought of it before leaving home I would have tried Dr. C. W. Long's great discovery, namely, the administration of sulphuric ether, as an anaesthetic in performing the operation.' Having neglected to bring the ether, Dr. Moore finally concluded to influence the patient with morphia, under which influence the operation was performed.

"Joseph B. Carlton, M. D."

"Athens, Ga., Aug. 10, 1878.

"This certifies that, in the month of May, 1843, I was present and assisted Dr. R. D. Moore, of this place, in amputating a leg. He said to his three students (I being one), 'If I had thought of it before leaving home, I would have tried Dr. Long's discovery, producing insensibility by inhalation of ether.'

"James Camak, M. D."

"Attest: Asa M. Jackson, ordinary, Clark county, Ga."

225

MEMOIRS OF DECEASED PHYSICIANS.

Dr. Sims summarizes the claims of Long, Wells, Morton and Jackson as follows: "6th. That Long was the first man to intentionally produce anaesthesia for surgical operations, and that this was done with sulphuric ether in 1842. 7th. That Long did not by accident hit upon it, but that he reasoned it out in a philosophical and logical manner. 8th. That Wells, without any knowledge of Long's labors, demon- strated in the same philosophic way the great principle of anaesthesia by the use of nitrous oxide gas (1844). 9th. That Morton intended to follow Wells in using the gas as an anaesthetic in dentistry, and for this purpose asked Wells to show him how to make the gas (1846). Ioth. That Wells referred Morton to Jackson for this purpose, as Jackson was known to be a scientific man and an able chemist. IIth. That Morton called on Jackson for information on the subject, and that Jackson told Morton to use sulphuric ether instead of nitrous oxide gas, as it was known to possess the same properties, was as safe, and easier to get. 12th. That Morton, acting upon Jackson's off-hand suggestion, used the ether successfully in the extraction of teeth (1846). 13th. That Warren and Hayward and Bigelow performed important surgical operations in the Massachusetts general hospital (October, 1846), on patients etherized by Morton, and that this introduced and popularized the practice throughout the world. In Boston, Mass., a monument has been erected to the discoverer of anaesthesia, but no man is designated thereon by name. The citizens of Hartford, Conn., have erected a bronze statue of Wells (by Bartlett) in their Capitol park, claiming for him the discovery of anaesthesia. This is as it should be. We have no objection to it, and would suggest that the names of Long, Wells, Morton and Jackson be inscribed on the Boston column, one on each side, as co-discoverers of anaesthesia. The state of Georgia will, at no distant day, erect at its capital or its university, a statue of Long, who was unquestionably the first discoverer of anaesthesia. All the claimants of the honor of discovering anaesthesia are Americans. To each is due a certain measure of credit, but no one man can claim this great honor exclusively. The names of Long. Wells, Morton and Jackson will doubtless be associated as co-laborers in the great work, and to these must be added the immortal name of Sir James Y. Simpson, who introduced chloroform and enlarged the domain of anaesthesia."

Feb. 24, 1879, the Medical society of Athens unanimously adopted the following resolutions :

"Whereas, The recent compilation of facts by Dr. J. Marion Sims, of New York, in regard to the discovery of anaesthesia clearly proves Dr. Crawford W. Long to be the first to use sulphuric ether as an anaesthetic agent in surgical operations; and

"Whereas, Dr. Long was a native Georgian, and especially a native of our own section, we, the medical association of Athens, and of which he was the honored and esteemed president, must necessarily feel much pride in claiming so valuable, so useful, and so scientific a man as our companion in medicine, and likewise feeling that not only a most pleasing sense of duty, but a most justifiable sense of pride and honor, make it eminently proper and commendable that this association should take the initiatory steps in bringing about, on the part of the medical profession, a full and just recognition of the claims of Dr. Long to being the first and true discoverer of anaesthesia; therefore, be it

"Resolved, That from the accumulation of facts and evidence deduced, this society is fully satisfied that Dr. Crawford W. Long, of Athens, Ga., was the first person who ever used sulphuric ether as an anaesthetic agent in surgical operations, and as an act of justice to the distinguished discoverer, now deceased, and to the honor of the profession of our own state, we most respectfully recommend and request that the Georgia Medical association, soon to hold its annual session in the city of Rome, take such steps as shall definitely determine Dr. Long's claim to priority in the use and discovery of anaesthesia; and that the State Medical

II-15

226

MEMOIRS OF GEORGIA.

association be further requested to bring the matter before the American Medical association, which is to hold its next session in the city of Atlanta during the approaching summer, that through this national convention of medical men Dr. Long's claim may be established throughout the civilized world.

"Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded to the president and secretary of the State Medical association, and also to the different medical journals of our state, with the request that they publish the same."

In 1853 the medical society of the state of Georgia unanimously adopted the following resolution: "Resolved, That it is the opinion of this society that Dr. C. W. Long, now of Athens, Ga., was the first person to use sulphuric ether as an anaesthetic agent in surgical operations; and as an act of justice to Dr. Long indi- vidually, and to the honor of the profession of our state, we recommend him to present his claim to priority in the use of this most important agent to the consid- eration of the American Medical association at its next meeting." In an address delivered in 1879 at the university of Georgia, Alexander H. Stephens feelingly spoke of Dr. Long as the discoverer of anaesthesia, and suggested that inasmuch as congress had invited each of the states to place statues of two of its benefactors in the art gallery of Washington, D. C., that Georgia send the statues of James Oglethorpe and Crawford W. Long. Subsequently, upon motion of Hon B. C. Yancy, of Clark county, the legislature of Georgia adopted the following resolu- tions relative to Dr. Long:

"Whereas, It has been proposed that each state of the United States of America should designate the names of two persons whose memories are to be perpetuated by likenesses in statuary, in the art gallery established, or to be established in Washington city, the Federal capital; and whereas, anaesthesia is the greatest boon ever conferred upon humanity, unless vaccination claims equal title to be so considered; and whereas, Crawford W. Long, M. D., a native of Georgia, and graduate of the university of the state, lately deceased, is the historic discoverer of anaesthesia, and the first man to employ sulphuric ether as an anaesthetic agent in a surgical operation, on March 30, 1842; and whereas, England recognized the labors of Jenner, and also bestowed a high honor of government upon Sir James Y. Simpson, in recognition of the great service he had rendered humanity by the introduction of chloroform, which enlarged the domain of anaesthesia; and whereas, our Federal republic should not allow the names of our discoverers and scientists to rest in obscurity, and the state of Georgia should especially cherish, with pride, the name and memory of her great discoverer:

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Memoirs of Georgia; containing historical accounts of the state's civil, military, industrial and professional interests, and personal sketches of many of its people. Vol. II, Part 32

Author: Publication date: 1859 Publisher: Atlanta, Ga., The Southern historicl association Number of Pages: 1166

Author:
Publication date: 1859
Publisher: Atlanta, Ga., The Southern historicl association
Number of Pages: 1166