Anesthesia has come a long way since the days of chloroform and ether way back in the 18th century. It is far more advanced and safer than it was a decade ago. Modern anesthesia techniques and delivery systems are now an indispensable part of surgical interventions and healthcare in general. October 16 celebrates the discovery and start of the revolution in anesthesia which has transformed how modern medicine and surgery are perceived today.

16th October 1846: The landmark “Ether Day”

October 16, 1846, marks the first successful demonstration of ether as a means of providing anesthesia by the dentist William Thomas Green Morton (1819-1868). This successful demonstration was performed at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, USA. It was Morton’s personal inspiration, knowledge, and conviction before the right audience, in the right place, at the right moment in history that revolutionized surgical practice.

On March 22, 1847, ether was administered in the Medical College Hospital, Calcutta, under the supervision of Dr. O’Saughnessy, the surgeon. The first chloroform anesthesia was first used by Simpson in Edinburgh, UK, on November 15 1847. Anesthesiology has come a long way from that fateful day in 1846, when the first significant step was taken (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Ether day: an intriguing history

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Anesthesia today: The Modern Way

Anesthesiology has advanced and developed rapidly over the last 170 years as a medical specialty. This is primarily because the risks associated with anesthetic drugs and techniques demand that they be administered by skilled physicians. As safer drugs and monitoring devices improved and advanced, the need for anesthesiologists saw an exponential rise. Apart from traditional areas of involvement, such as operating room anesthesia, critical care, and pain medicine, anesthesia now encompasses palliative and oncological care, emergency life support, research, and resuscitation. The role of Anesthesiologist in the COVID pandemic has been incomparable, and it would not be wrong to say that Anesthesiologists are the backbone of medical care with the paramount expertise that they bring along.

Anesthesia: Scope and Challenges

With the advancement of consumer technology and telemedicine, anesthesiology has expanded its horizons as a specialty. Preoperative evaluations are now possible to perform via teleconference. Inside the operating suite, monitoring has become less invasive and more sophisticated, and clinical decision support systems are common. There has been automation in the delivery of anesthetics and it is beyond doubt that there will be future opportunities for anesthesiologists in pharmacogenomics as well as health care systems management.