Ether

What was ether?

Ether was an anaesthetic.

Why wasn't ether more widely used?

Ether was an effective form of pain relief, but had unpleasant side effects (such as vomiting). It was also highly flammable.

When was ether first successfully used in surgery?

Ether was first used successfully in 1846, in a leg amputation.

Who first used ether successfully?

Robert Liston first used ether successfully in Britain.