Page 257 - My FlipBook

ETHER—AN/ESTHESIA. 255

" 6. The accidents with ether are purely respiratory, slow
and progressive, and consequently they leave us time to act.
" The operation terminated, the patient may recover per-
7.
fectly in one-fourth to one-half of an hour his normal anima-
tion and color ; there is none of that adynamia which we observe
with chloroform. As Poncet has said, The chloroformed are
'
in a state of apparent death, the etherized in a state of profound
intoxication.'
Vomiting frequent during and
" 8. is certainly less after
ether. Of course a good deal of mucus comes up, but the
patient can often eat an ordinary meal on the same evening.
" Such is the comparison. Ether stimulates the circulation
and heart, so it is especially precious in reduced patients. It is
certainly less dangerous than chloroform, not only because the
figures show this to be the case, but because the latter attacks
the bulb and produces vaso-motor paralysis and deleterious effects
far beyond our control to, limit. In ether the danger is more
respiratory ; it is slow and we can intervene, often successfully."
The Administration of Anesthetics.—To administer ether
or chloroform, take a folded piece of lint, of three or four thick-
nesses, and of a size that can be held conveniently in the hollow
of the fingers and palm of the hand ; and on it pour the anaes-
thetic agent—half an ounce of ether or a drachm of chloroform.
Some prefer a large napkin or towel, folded in the form of a
cone, with an opening of an inch or an inch and a half at the
apex, for the admission of air. The advantage, however, of the
lint over the folded napkin is, that by holding the lint in the
hand but little evaporation occurs. To give sufficient air to the
patient when beginning the administration of ether. Dr. D. B.
Keefe recommends the use of a large towel, folding it first five
times lengthwise, and placing a piece of paper the full length
between the outside folds, then roll it up into a cylinder, the size
to be governed by the face of the patient : it should be large
enough to cover the face, but not too large. This makes a
cylinder open at both ends, full size. Then saturate the lower
part of the cylinder, that comes against the face, with the ether
and apply it to the face, and as the other end is open the patient