Famous Writersand Anesthetic Agents

A.J. Wright, M.L.S.A.J. Wright, M.L.S.Associate ProfessorAssociate ProfessorUniversity of Alabama School of MedicineUniversity of Alabama School of Medicine

Types of Experiences

PatientPatient ImaginativeImaginative RecreationalRecreational EnlightenmentEnlightenment

Hans Christian Andersen[1805-1875]

Fairy Tale of My LifeFairy Tale of My Life (1855) (1855) Described dinner in his honor at home of Described dinner in his honor at home of

J.Y. Simpson in summer of 1847.J.Y. Simpson in summer of 1847. Many dinner guests breathed ether.Many dinner guests breathed ether. ““I thought it distasteful, especially to see I thought it distasteful, especially to see

ladies in this dreamy intoxication…”ladies in this dreamy intoxication…”

The one great truth which underlies all The one great truth which underlies all human experience…flashed upon me in a human experience…flashed upon me in a sudden revelation…I wrote….A strong sudden revelation…I wrote….A strong sense of turpentine prevails throughout.”sense of turpentine prevails throughout.”

-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., M.D.-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., M.D.

The one great truth which underlies all The one great truth which underlies all human experience…flashed upon me in a human experience…flashed upon me in a sudden revelation…I wrote….A strong sudden revelation…I wrote….A strong sense of turpentine prevails throughout.”sense of turpentine prevails throughout.”

-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., M.D.-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., M.D.

““I once inhaled a pretty full dose of ether, I once inhaled a pretty full dose of ether, with the determination to put on record, at with the determination to put on record, at the earliest moment of regaining the earliest moment of regaining consciousness, the thought I should find consciousness, the thought I should find uppermost in my mind…”uppermost in my mind…”

-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., M.D.-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., M.D.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., M.D.[1809-1894]

Harvard Medical School, 1847-1882Harvard Medical School, 1847-1882 Novels, poetry, sketches in addition to Novels, poetry, sketches in addition to

medical articles/booksmedical articles/books Autocrat of the Breakfast-TableAutocrat of the Breakfast-Table (1858) (1858)

William James [1842-1910]

Psychologist, philosopher/prolific authorPsychologist, philosopher/prolific author Varieties of Religious Experience (1902)Varieties of Religious Experience (1902) First described his N2O experiences in First described his N2O experiences in

18821882 ““Consciousness Under Nitrous Oxide” 1898 Consciousness Under Nitrous Oxide” 1898

– influenced by B. P. Blood– influenced by B. P. Blood

“…“…our normal waking consciousness…is our normal waking consciousness…is but one special type of consciousness, but one special type of consciousness, whilst all about it, parted from it by the whilst all about it, parted from it by the filmiest of screens, there lie potential forms filmiest of screens, there lie potential forms of consciousness entirely different.”of consciousness entirely different.”

- James, - James, VarietiesVarieties

Looking back on my own experiences, they Looking back on my own experiences, they all converge towards a kind of insight to all converge towards a kind of insight to which I cannot help ascribing some which I cannot help ascribing some metaphysical significance.”metaphysical significance.”

-William James-William James

““The keynote of it is invariably a The keynote of it is invariably a reconciliation. It is as if the opposites of the reconciliation. It is as if the opposites of the world, whose contradictoriness and conflict world, whose contradictoriness and conflict make all our difficulties and troubles, were make all our difficulties and troubles, were melted into unity.”melted into unity.”

-William James-William James

Benjamin Paul Blood[1832-1919]

Lived most of his life in Amsterdam, N.Y.Lived most of his life in Amsterdam, N.Y. Anaesthetic RevelationAnaesthetic Revelation (1874) (1874) PluriversePluriverse (1920) (1920) Began correspondence with William James Began correspondence with William James

in 1882in 1882

““It was in the year 1860 that there came to It was in the year 1860 that there came to me, through necessary use of anaesthetics, a me, through necessary use of anaesthetics, a Revelation or insight of the immemorial Revelation or insight of the immemorial Mystery which among enlightened peoples Mystery which among enlightened peoples still persists as the philosophical secret or still persists as the philosophical secret or problem of the world…”problem of the world…”

B. P. Blood, PluriverseB. P. Blood, Pluriverse

Other “Nitrous Oxide” Philosophers Edmund Gurney, English spiritualistEdmund Gurney, English spiritualist

Phantasms of the LivingPhantasms of the Living (1886) (1886) John A. SymondsJohn A. Symonds

Poet, historian, biographerPoet, historian, biographer William RamsayWilliam Ramsay

Nobel laureateNobel laureate Discovered inert gasesDiscovered inert gases

William Ernest Henley [1848-1903]

English poet, critic, editorEnglish poet, critic, editor Wrote plays with R.L. StevensonWrote plays with R.L. Stevenson As a young man, had operation for club footAs a young man, had operation for club foot Wrote Wrote In Hospital In Hospital (1873-75), poems about (1873-75), poems about

that experiencethat experience

““Behold me waiting--waiting for the knife.Behold me waiting--waiting for the knife.A little while, and at a leap I stormA little while, and at a leap I stormThe thick, sweet mystery of chloroform,The thick, sweet mystery of chloroform,The drunken, dark, the little death-in-life.”The drunken, dark, the little death-in-life.”

Henly, “Before”Henly, “Before”

““The next experience I became aware of, The next experience I became aware of, who shall relate!…who shall relate!…I knew everything. I knew everything. A A vast inrush of obvious and absolutely vast inrush of obvious and absolutely satisfying solutions to all possible satisfying solutions to all possible problems.”problems.”

-Oscar Wilde to Wm. James, after a dental -Oscar Wilde to Wm. James, after a dental anesthetic (1895)anesthetic (1895)

Guy de Maupassant [1850-1893]

French authorFrench author Wrote hundreds of s.s., several novelsWrote hundreds of s.s., several novels Took ether for migrainesTook ether for migraines ““Reves” – s.s. in which a doctor praises etherReves” – s.s. in which a doctor praises ether ““Afloat” (1888) – s.s in which narrator takes Afloat” (1888) – s.s in which narrator takes

ether for migrainesether for migraines

“…“…a new way of seeing, judging, appreciating a new way of seeing, judging, appreciating things and life, with the certainty, the things and life, with the certainty, the complete awareness, that this way was the complete awareness, that this way was the right one.”right one.”

- Maupassant, “Afloat”- Maupassant, “Afloat”

McTeague (1899)by Frank Norris

The dentist McTeague first kisses Trina, The dentist McTeague first kisses Trina, one of his patients, while she is under ether one of his patients, while she is under ether anesthesia in his dental parlor.anesthesia in his dental parlor.

John Millington Synge[1877-1909]

Irish poet and playwrightIrish poet and playwright Riders of the Sea (1904)Riders of the Sea (1904) Well of the Saints (1905)Well of the Saints (1905) Playboy of the Western World (1907)Playboy of the Western World (1907)

““I seemed to traverse whole epochs of I seemed to traverse whole epochs of desolation and bliss. All secrets were open desolation and bliss. All secrets were open before me, and simple as the universe to its before me, and simple as the universe to its God.”God.”

-Synge, “Under ether: personal experiences -Synge, “Under ether: personal experiences during an operation.” Interstate Med J during an operation.” Interstate Med J 23:45-49, 191623:45-49, 1916

Theodore Dreiser [1871-1945]

American novelist/playwrightAmerican novelist/playwright Sister CarrieSister Carrie (1900) (1900) An American TragedyAn American Tragedy (1925) (1925) ““Laughing Gas” (1915)Laughing Gas” (1915)

“Laughing Gas”

Dr. Jason James Vatabeel undergoes Dr. Jason James Vatabeel undergoes surgery to remove a tumor from his necksurgery to remove a tumor from his neck

Under nitrous oxide/oxygen anesthesia Under nitrous oxide/oxygen anesthesia experiences a dark night of the soulexperiences a dark night of the soul

Dreiser appended Blood’s pamphlet/James’ Dreiser appended Blood’s pamphlet/James’ comments to a 1926 reprint of the playcomments to a 1926 reprint of the play

Charlotte Perkins Gilman[1860-1934]

American authorAmerican author ““The Yellow Wallpaper” (1892)The Yellow Wallpaper” (1892) In This Our WorldIn This Our World (1893) (1893) Women and EconomicsWomen and Economics (1898) (1898) Committed suicide on August 17Committed suicide on August 17 Her note said she “chose chloroform over cancer”Her note said she “chose chloroform over cancer”

“Searcy Foote”

““And a bottle of chloroform on the book, And a bottle of chloroform on the book, She used sometimes for an aching tooth!She used sometimes for an aching tooth!I poured the chloroform on a handkerchief I poured the chloroform on a handkerchief And held it to her nose till she died.-”And held it to her nose till she died.-”

Spoon River AnthologySpoon River AnthologyEdgar Lee Masters [1868-1950]Edgar Lee Masters [1868-1950]

Aleister Crowley [1875-1947]

English author, magicianEnglish author, magician Diary of a Drug FiendDiary of a Drug Fiend (1922) (1922) Confessions Confessions (1989)(1989) Addicted to chloroform and ether [in Addicted to chloroform and ether [in

addition to heroin and cocaine]addition to heroin and cocaine]

Laughing Gas (1936)by P. G. Wodehouse

After inhaling nitrous oxide in a dentist’s After inhaling nitrous oxide in a dentist’s office, the Earl of Havershot exchanges office, the Earl of Havershot exchanges identities with a child movie star.identities with a child movie star.

Mr. Carl Van Vechten has told me of a Mr. Carl Van Vechten has told me of a fellow-novelist who became so obsessed fellow-novelist who became so obsessed with the elusive nature of this experience with the elusive nature of this experience that he had a tank of nitrous oxide installed that he had a tank of nitrous oxide installed in his basement and employed a nurse to in his basement and employed a nurse to give it to him. He took it day after day.”give it to him. He took it day after day.”

-Logan Clendening, M.D. [1933]-Logan Clendening, M.D. [1933]

““Each time he firmly decided to remember Each time he firmly decided to remember the real secret of the universe. Each time he the real secret of the universe. Each time he went under, the mystic and awful went under, the mystic and awful explanation was vouchsafed him. But explanation was vouchsafed him. But invariably when he regained consciousness, invariably when he regained consciousness, he could no longer remember what it was”he could no longer remember what it was”

-Logan Clendening, M.D. [1933]-Logan Clendening, M.D. [1933]

Thomas Sterns Eliot [1888-1965]

““Let us go then, you and I,Let us go then, you and I,When the evening is spread out against the skyWhen the evening is spread out against the skyLike a patient etherized upon a table…”Like a patient etherized upon a table…”

-“Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” (1915)-“Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” (1915)

Herbert George Wells[1866-1946

Invisible ManInvisible Man (1897) (1897) War of the WorldsWar of the Worlds (1898) (1898) Outline of HistoryOutline of History (1920) (1920) Numerous other novels, non-fiction, s.s.Numerous other novels, non-fiction, s.s.

“Under the Knife” (s.s.)

Narrator undergoes a home operation with Narrator undergoes a home operation with chloroform as anestheticchloroform as anesthetic

Has a near-death experienceHas a near-death experience

““I do not think I saw. I do not think I heard; I do not think I saw. I do not think I heard; but I perceived all that was going on, and it but I perceived all that was going on, and it was as if I both heard and saw. Haddon was as if I both heard and saw. Haddon was bending over me, Mowbray behind me; was bending over me, Mowbray behind me; the scalpel…was cutting my flesh…”the scalpel…was cutting my flesh…”

-Wells, “Under the Knife”-Wells, “Under the Knife”

Walter de la Mare [1873-1956]

British novelist and poetBritish novelist and poet Memoirs of a midget (1922)Memoirs of a midget (1922) Two anesthetics gave him a “clear glimpse Two anesthetics gave him a “clear glimpse

of the beyond”of the beyond”

R. H. Ward

British novelistBritish novelist N2O in dental operationN2O in dental operation Perceived “the interrelatedness of Perceived “the interrelatedness of

everything”everything”

John C. Lilly, MD [1915-2001]

Dolphin ResearchDolphin Research Isolation/flotation tanksIsolation/flotation tanks Describes his ketamine research inDescribes his ketamine research in

The ScientistThe Scientist (1978) (1978)

Marcia Moore [1928-1979]

Author of books on astrology, diet, yogaAuthor of books on astrology, diet, yoga Married to Howard Alltounian, M.D.Married to Howard Alltounian, M.D. Disappeared January 14, 1979Disappeared January 14, 1979 Remains discovered later near their homeRemains discovered later near their home

Timothy Leary[1920-1996]

Psychologist, authorPsychologist, author FlashbacksFlashbacks (1983) (1983) Chaos and Cyber CultureChaos and Cyber Culture (1994) (1994) Used N2O as one form of pain reliever Used N2O as one form of pain reliever

while dying from prostate cancer.while dying from prostate cancer.

Word Occurrences: Chloroform

Anne of the IslandAnne of the Island, Montgomery (4), Montgomery (4) Elsie VennerElsie Venner, Holmes (3), Holmes (3) Insidious Dr. Fu ManchuInsidious Dr. Fu Manchu, Rohmer (1), Rohmer (1) Invisible ManInvisible Man, Wells (2), Wells (2) UlyssesUlysses, Joyce (4), Joyce (4) Sherlock Holmes Complete WorksSherlock Holmes Complete Works, Doyle (5), Doyle (5)