Laughing Parties Created Anesthesia
Laughing gas parties, also known as “ether frolics,” were social gatherings in the 19th century where people inhaled ether, a volatile and flammable liquid, for its intoxicating effects. While ether was initially used for recreational purposes, it was eventually discovered to have anesthetic properties and was used as a surgical anesthetic.
The use of ether as an anesthetic was first demonstrated by American dentist William Morton in 1846. Morton administered ether to a patient during a surgical procedure and showed that the patient was pain-free and unconscious during the procedure. This marked the first successful use of inhaled anesthesia in modern surgical history. (UMHS).