This pathfinder is compiled to address the interest for how anesthesia developed during the 19th century to become a key component in the general practice of medicine and became the leading factor for the expansion of the use of surgery in the treatment of human diseases.
Since anesthesia techniques developed (with different flavors) in the United States of America and Europe the suggested sources will reflect points of view from these different world regions.
This pathfinder intends to provide a starting point from which interested individuals may develop their own research, therefore no completeness claim is made. Resources were selected for their authority and their rank in the field inferred by the number of citations or pointers to them.
The pathfinder targeted audience is comprized of students of all ages with a basic knowledge level of search processes and database structure. In other words this pathfinder does not provide information on search strategy or instructs on databases use. A few cautionary notes are made where deemed necessary.
What we think of anesthesia today, is well expressed by the National Library of Medicine entry about anesthesia:
“If you are having surgery, your doctor will give you a drug called an anesthetic. Anesthetics reduce or prevent pain. There are four main types.
Local: numbs one small area of the body. You stay awake and alert.Conscious or intravenous (IV) sedation: uses a mild sedative to relax you and pain medicine to relieve pain. You stay awake but may not remember the procedure afterwards.
Regional anesthesia: blocks pain in an area of the body, such an arm or leg. Epidural anesthesia, which is sometimes used during childbirth, is a type of regional anesthesia.
General anesthesia: affects your whole body. You go to sleep and feel nothing. You have no memory of the procedure afterwards.The type of anesthesia your doctor chooses depends on many factors. These include the procedure you are having and your current health.“
Retrieved April 12, 2008, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/anesthesia.html
On the other hand, although surgery is as old as we dare to investigate, complications were common, the following explains why:
“In the mid-19th century the French microbiologist Louis Pasteur developed an understanding of the relationship of bacteria to infectious diseases, and the application of this theory to wound sepsis by the British surgeon Joseph Lister from 1867 resulted in the technique of antisepsis, which brought about a remarkable reduction in the mortality rate from wound infections after operations. The twin emergence of anesthesia and antisepsis marked the beginning of modern surgery”
History from the “surgery” article at page: eb/article-6992
surgery. (2008). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved April 27, 2008, from Encyclopædia Britannica
Therefore we ask:
How did
anesthesia develop? What methods were used and why?
How effective were such methods?
These questions will be answered when the trail outlined here is followed.
Note: since the Mesmerism pathfinder has been developed in conjunction with the “19th c. Anesthesia” pathfinder some of the sources inherently common appear in each to avoid repeated call backs.
............................................................................................................
The guide is organized with the sequential order shown below but, as in a book, some of us read the end at the beginning and then go back hunting for clues. In whichever way this tool is used it is hoped that it can be of help in starting the reader on the topic's exciting journey of discovery.
This introductory page
Interest teaser
For an overview
Books
Journals
Databases
Websites
People involved
Field associations