anæsthesia

[Gr. ἀναισθησία (anais thesia ) = want of perception, or of feeling: ἀν (an), priv., and αἴσθησις ( a is thesis ) = perception by the senses; αἰσθάνομαι ( aistha noma i), fut. αἰσθήσομαι (aisthēsoma i) = to perceive.] Lo of feeling; insensibility. ăn-æs-thetic, ăn-æs-the-tic, a. & s. [Gr. av ( an ), priv., and αἰσθητικός ( aisthetikos ) = perceptive.] A. As. adj.: Pertaining to an anæsthetic; deadening or destroying consciousne . (B.) B. As substantive (Pl.): A cla of medicines which, when inhaled in the form of vapour, destroy consciousne for a time, and with it the sense of pain. Garrod makes anæsthetics the third order of his sub-cla , detined as medicines acting especially upon the brain proper, but probably also upon other portions of the central nervous system. Among the uses to which they are put are the alleviation of pain and spasm, the production of unconsciousne during surgical operations or parturition, and the procuring of sleep in delirium. The best known are chloroform, ether, and nitrous oxide. "Since the introduction of ether and chloroform as an as the tics in the practice of surgery."- Todd & Bow. man: Physiol. Anat ., vol. ii, p. 406. To