Horace Wells (1815 – 1848)

Born in Hartford, Vermont, he had become a dentist and was working in Hartford, Connecticut, when about 1840 he became interested in the possibility of using nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”) as a painkiller during tooth extration. In 1841 he formed a partnerhip with a Boston dentist, William T. G. Morton, who had been looking into ether as an anesthetic.

In December 1844, Wells had one of his own teeth extracted while under nitrous oxide and he extracted several more from patients without pain. However, when he attempted to demonstrate the gas’s efficacy for surgery at Harvard Medical School in 1845, it failed.

In 1846 Morton successfully demonstrated the use of ether first for tooth extraction and then for surgical operations at Massachusetts General Hospital. In December 1846, Wells published a claim in the Hartford Courant that he had discovered the anesthetic effect of both nitrous oxide and ether; in 1847 he elaborated his claims in a pamphlet. Morton, meanwhile, filed patent claims for ether, which was at once regarded as superior for protracted operations.

Wells moved to New York City, and continued his investigations into anesthetics. Jailed for creating a disturbance while under the influence of chloroform, he committed suicide.

patent patented HORACE BRITTON MULTI TOOL w some bits picture

patent patented HORACE BRITTON MULTI TOOL w some bits

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Horace Slughorn Hourglass Mini, Harry Potter, RARE, Wizarding World, Geek Trunk picture

Horace Slughorn Hourglass Mini, Harry Potter, RARE, Wizarding World, Geek Trunk

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Horace Greeley 1872 Presidential Candidate, By Sarony picture

Horace Greeley 1872 Presidential Candidate, By Sarony

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Horace 'N Trailer Sealed The Chevron Cars Collectible Toy Car Horace 'N Trailer picture

Horace 'N Trailer Sealed The Chevron Cars Collectible Toy Car Horace 'N Trailer

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1866 Civil War Discharge Horace White UnitedStates Union Army Wisconsin Infantry picture

1866 Civil War Discharge Horace White UnitedStates Union Army Wisconsin Infantry

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Horace Greeley High School Chappaqua NY Postcard picture

Horace Greeley High School Chappaqua NY Postcard

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Disney Pin - Haunted Mansion Stretch Portrait - Cruella De Vil Horace Jasper WDW picture

Disney Pin - Haunted Mansion Stretch Portrait - Cruella De Vil Horace Jasper WDW

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HOPI ARTIST KEVIN HORACE QUANNIE: LARGE KATSINA  PAINTING, 36 x 18 INCHES picture

HOPI ARTIST KEVIN HORACE QUANNIE: LARGE KATSINA PAINTING, 36 x 18 INCHES

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Vintage Magic 10 Bloom Bouquet - Horace Marshall picture

Vintage Magic 10 Bloom Bouquet - Horace Marshall

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WALT DISNEY 1935 Horace Horsecollar SGC 2 GD Mickey Mouse's New Card Game *RARE* picture

WALT DISNEY 1935 Horace Horsecollar SGC 2 GD Mickey Mouse's New Card Game *RARE*

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