jan 1, 1799 - Early Anaesthetics: Nitrous Oxide

Description:

British chemist Humphrey Davy discovered that pain could be reduced by using laughing gas (nitrous oxide) - he was ignored by surgeons at the time. The gas had been dismissed as a novelty before American dentist Horace Wells used it in a public demonstration in 1845, but had unfortunately chosen a patient unaffected by nitrous oxide - it was again ignored.

Added to timeline:

Date: