What did People Use before Anaesthesia?
Picture this: It's the 19th century, and you're about to have surgery. The doctor isn’t smiling to comfort you—he’s grinning because he’s sharpening his tools. No anesthesia, no mercy, just raw, unfiltered pain. Welcome to the nightmare of historical surgery. Buckle up; it will be a bumpy (and slightly ridiculous) ride.
1. Trepanning: Ancient Brain Hacking
Let’s start in 6500 BC when surgery meant drilling a hole in your skull. This delightful procedure, known as trepanning, was supposed to release evil spirits and, of course, help certain head injuries. Think of it as the first DIY exorcism kit.
The tools? Stones. The survival rate? 10%. The infection did most people in, but hey, at least their spirits were demon-free. Trephined skulls have been discovered in widespread locations around the world. Bonus fact: Trepanning was still practiced in parts of the world until recently. Humanity has always been really into skulls.
2. Knockouts, the Old-School Way
Before anaesthesia, doctors tried creative ways to knock you out, such as:
- Carotid Compression: Squeeze the neck that is, apply pressure to the arteries in the neck (carotid arteries) to block blood flowing into the brain, and hope for unconsciousness. This was an eminently risky method and was not widely used due to its unreliable nature. They used this technique before performing cataract surgery, and the Egyptians had similar ways to perform eye surgeries. Effective? Occasionally. Dangerous? Incredibly.
- The Classic Slap: Yes, some doctors slapped their patients hard enough to “distract” them from surgical pain. Imagine being smacked so hard that you forget you’re being cut open. Charming, right?
- Opioids and derivatives of Opium have been used for pain relief and sedation. In anaesthetics, its key derivatives—like morphine and codeine—have been widely used to manage pain and help patients relax before surgery. Morphine, in particular, is known for its ability to handle severe pain and boost the effects of anaesthesia. That said, because of its addictive nature and side effects like slowed breathing, modern anaesthesia now often relies on synthetic opioids like fentanyl, which are more controlled and effective.
3. Mesmerism: Magnets to the Rescue?
Enter Franz Mesmer, the original hypnotist. In the 18th century, he claimed magnets could manipulate a "universal fluid" in your body, the fluid that was supposedly the determinant of all diseases that existed at the time, it was thought as a cure to diseases and a help in numbing the pain. He called it mesmerism(yes, that’s where the word "mesmerized" comes from). It was all very mystical and oddly specific.
Surprisingly, some patients said it worked, but the medical community eventually called it out as bogus. Probably because the magnets didn’t come with a user manual.
4. Laughing Gas: From Party Trick to Medical Marvel
Fast forward to the 18th century, and Nitrous Oxide (aka the laughing gas) was discovered. Gardener Q. Colton, a medicine student started a traveling show featuring nitrous oxide, he would invite people to inhale it and perform tricks to share the uncontrollable laughs together. During one such show, one of his accomplices- Horace Wells, observed that his friend had succumbed to an injury- and was living without any pain- which inspired him to think of the potential nitrous oxide had as an anesthetic.
In 1844, Wells tested it on himself and successfully had a wisdom tooth removed without feeling pain. However, Wells’ 1845 demonstration at Massachusetts General Hospital failed to convince the medical community. The patient’s groaning and movement led to skepticism, despite the procedure being painless.
5. Ether and Chloroform Take Over
In 1846, William Morton, an American dentist, publicly demonstrated the use of ether, to remove a neck tumor—without pain. This was a game-changer and was clinical evidence that ether could induce unconsciousness and alleviate pain. Soon after, chloroform was discovered, which became the favorite for childbirth and wartime surgeries.
Ether, though groundbreaking, had certain issues: it was highly flammable, slow, and needed a ton of work(the patient had to be administered for about 14 minutes) and had side effects of nausea, respiratory depression and vomiting. Chloroform was comparatively more preferred by the surgeons that time as it was smoother and faster.
6. Civil War and Anesthesia Myths
Think Civil War soldiers toughed it out without anesthesia? Nope. Ether and chloroform were used in over 90% of surgeries.
Modern Medicine:
Today, surgery is practically a nap compared to the horror show it used to be. No trepanning, no neck-squeezing, and definitely no face-slapping.
Moral of the story? Next time you whine about a dentist visit, just be glad you’re not chewing on a leather strap while someone chisels into your skull.