Chloroform

What is chloroform?

Chloroform was an effective form of pain relief.

Who was the first doctor to use chloroform during surgery?

James Simpson, a professor of midwifery at Edinburgh University, experimented with chloroform on himself and friends.

When did James Simpson discover that chloroform could be used as an anaesthetic?

James Simpson discovered that chloroform could be used as an anaesthetic in 1847.

How did James Simpson first use chloroform?

James Simpson used chloroform on women in childbirth.

Why was there opposition to the use of chloroform?

There were 3 main reasons why some people opposed the use of chloroform.

• ❖ Some army surgeons believed that soldiers should endure pain.
• ❖ Some religious people believed it was God's intention that women should feel pain in childbirth, and that suffering during surgery was God's will.
• ❖ It was difficult to get the dosage right. This was demonstrated when 14-year-old Hannah Greener died while having an ingrown toenail removed.

Who made chloroform more popular?

Chloroform finally became accepted when Queen Victoria used it during the delivery of her eighth child. After this, patients began to ask for it in their operations.

Why was the use of chloroform dangerous?

Chloroform led to the so-called Black Period of surgery, when death rates increased because, with unconscious patients, surgeons were taking their time and doing more advanced surgeries. This meant they were unknowingly taking infection deeper into the body.

How was chloroform use made safer?

John Snow developed a type of chloroform inhaler and calculated the correct dose per patient, making it much safer and preventing an overdose.