Volume 7 - History of Anaesthesia Society

Professor D.Campbel1
One of the most important lessons oE medical history for today's
practitioner is the realisation that many of the great themes which we
believe are novel and contemporaneous have, by and large, been
considered and debated by notahls predecessors. One, however, must
allow fur and avoid the trap, which is ever present, of searching for a
historical justification of the Latest Eashionable trend or obsession,
giving it some spurious authenticity from the imprimatur of a great name
of the past. This is hagiography at its most misleading. Like Biblical
scholars, we m~st avoid distorting the ancient texts to provide a veneer
of theoloyical respectability Eor our current prejudice.
lJith these cautionary words in mind, I nevertheless dare to tread such
dangerous ground in illustrating my contention that the all important
matter of Patient SaEety - today 'S professional, medico-legal and
political obsession - has always been healthily prominent in our
profession's delikrations and practice, although it is now at risk of
being 'hidhjacked' by a Government which has not hesitated to corrupt
the philosophy oE &dun Smith hirnself.
LE I were knowledgeable enough I daresay that 1 could begin with the
pronouncements oE the Pharaonic physicians of the earliest Dynasties but
the restrictions of time and limitations of scholarship demand that I
begin a Inere two centuries ago.
WhRtevei else, Williarn ilunter's reputation as a teacher of stature has
survived to our time. The transcriptions of his lectures to rnedical
students and the public at large still provide the modern c.Linical
teacher with many texts which ring as true today as in any past time.
Rough notes in his own hand have indeed survived. Here is a relevant
selection.
1 Has the patient strength and habit of body and mind fit for the
operation? Otherwise let both be corrected.
2 Will the advantage balance the risk?
3 Have trusty assistants and commnicate to them.
'To mention blilliam without John Hunter would be an unforgivable
solecism.
\hat did he have to do with Patient Safety? I would submit that among
his many talents was a predilection Eor objectivity and accuracy in
messurernerlt to support or refute a theory which interested him. His
work with Jenner on thermometry in hibernating animals, and the fixing
of the time of death from a corpse's temperature, are examples which in
a sense lead directly to the modern anaesthetist's diligent attention to
measurement as the basis of monitoring the progress of anaesthesia and
surgery froin induction to recovery. Hunter' S thermometer was the 'hightrch'
of his day.