The History of Local Anaesthesia - Dr William Harrop-Griffiths 

Most equate anaesthesia with general anaesthesia. www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-an...
This is likely because the introduction of general anaesthesia (1847) pre-dated that of local anaesthesia (1884). The drugs used for these first demonstrations, ether and cocaine, had been in existence for centuries before pioneers made the mental leap between the knowledge that they could cause respectively sedation and numbness, and the potential for these effects to be used for the benefit of humanity. Dr Harrop-Griffiths will put a humorous spin on a fascinating story.
The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-an...
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