Anesthetic

or Anaesthetic. A substance that produces insensibility to feeling or to acute pain, diminished muscular action, and other phenomena. Anesthetics may be general, local, partial and complete. A., General; the following are the substances that have been used for general anesthesia: Amylexe, a mobile liquid, thin, colorle , translucent; action rapid, producing partial anesthesia. It is used in Germany under the name of Pental; it is best administered by means of Junker's inhaler, which modifies its unpleasant odor; it should not be brought near a flame. Carbon Tetra chlorid, not so irritating to the organs of respiration, but far more dangerous than chloroform. Chloral Hydrate, action indirect and incomplete. Rarely, if ever, now used. Chloroform, by inhalation. Largely employed in general surgery. It seems to have a selective action upon the nervous system, and also exercises a direct influence upon the muscular ti ues of the heart. It paralyzes the vaso-motor system, and death results from cardiac paralysis. Chloroform should always be administered freely mixed with air. The Method of definite mixtures, however, as recommended by Clover, and Bert, while admirable in theory, is not entirely practical. The Lister Method, also known as the Scotch or Open Method of administering chloroform, consists in pouring a small amount of the anesthetic upon a common towel arranged in a square of six folds, and holding this as near to the face as can be borne without inconvenience.