Volume 9b - History of Anaesthesia Society

plblished m y articles on this approach to hyp~osis, mainly in a
journal 'The Zoist'. In these writings he described many operations
with mesmerism as the only anaesthetic, and stressed the success
achieved. me first such operation, he stated, was performed in the
USA. IX Sydney Dcane of New York, removed a neck tmur during a
mesmeric state of hypnosis. Professor Ackley at the Cleveland Medical
College also used the method. At the Medical College of Georgia, LW
Louis mgas successfully rermved a breast during the mesmeric state. In
1842 in England, Dr Ward aqxtated a leg at the thigh while the patient
was mesmerised.
Despite the amrently successful results, the reaction of the Royal
Medical and Surgical Colleges was hostile. However, esmeric h p -
anaesthesia was practised by %rd and Elliotson and their results were
pblished in further volumes of 'The Zoist' which gave detailed accounts
of mesmerism havFng been used in cases of childbirth, venisection,
excision of tumxlrs, amptations and dental extractions.
Jtaaaa BgdaCle (180&1l359) perfonwd ahout 1,000 mbr and about 300
major operatp in India with patients in the memric state of hypoanaesthesia.
The introduction of chemical anaesthesia with
chloroform and ether was a serious drawback for hyploanaesthesia, since
surgeons felt more ccmfortable using the new method.
.Rmw Emid (1795-1860) was a Scottish surgeon who practised in
Mmchester. He observed that a mesmerised patient could not open his
eyes during a session. After performing experiments himself, he came to
the conclusion that hypotic phenomena were entirely subjective. In
1843 he plblished his in a work entitled 'Neurypnology, or The
Rationale of Nervous Sleep
Dewlqmmt of hypmmaesthesia in the last 50 years
Even though chemical anaesthesia took over in various fom, and with a
wide spectrum of drugs, hypnoanaesthesia has remained, and has been the
subject of intensive research. The following researchers and clinicians
have paid special attention to the subject:
car1 A
Anesthesiology
Chppo
who wrote the book 'Practice of yrplosis in
Jean Idamer, Professor and Chainmn of the Department of
Anaesthnsiology at the University of Paris who perfomd a y
psychophysiological EEC stuclies during hypnonarcosis. l7
Piner, Professor of Anaesthesiology at the University of Uppsala.
He studied premedication in autohypnosis and had qood results in
prdcat- intra- and postoperative drug consmptior;.
thdolm Ry, Professor and Chairman of the Department of
Anaesthesiology. He did extensive research on the question of combine3
chemical and hpoanaesthesia. He suggested this combination would save
up to 70% of the drug8 used. He contributed to the German literature