Tuesday 12/November/2024 – 10:35 am
On November 12, 1847, the world witnessed an unprecedented medical development, as the British doctor James Young Simpson succeeded in using a substance… Chloroform As an anesthetic for the first time in history, this revolutionized the field of surgical anesthesia and contributed to alleviating the suffering of patients during surgical operations. Simpson also became the first doctor to use chloroform to anesthetize patients during surgical operations, which allowed them to undergo surgical procedures without feeling pain.
According to what was published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, chloroform is a chemical compound scientifically known as trichloromethane (CHCl₃). It is characterized as a colorless liquid, has a distinctive odor similar to the smell of ether, and is non-flammable. Then chloroform was discovered in the nineteenth century and became one of the oldest Substances used in general anesthesia.
The use of chloroform in anesthesia
In the mid-nineteenth century, chloroform gained wide fame in the medical field after the British physician James Young Simpson used it for the first time in 1847 to anesthetize patients during surgical operations. Simpson found that chloroform quickly worked to anesthetize the patient by inhaling it, making the patient lose consciousness. Without feeling pain.
How does chloroform work?
When chloroform is inhaled, it is rapidly absorbed through the lungs into the bloodstream, and then travels to the central nervous system. Chloroform depresses the nervous system, leading to loss of consciousness and reduced sensation of pain. It was initially used as a general anesthetic to make surgical procedures more bearable for patients. It provides them with a pain-free surgical experience.
Benefits and risks of chloroform
- It provided effective and rapid anesthesia compared to substances used at the time such as ether.
- It does not cause irritation to the eyes or respiratory system, making it a preferred choice in surgical procedures.
- Over time, it was discovered that chloroform carries some health risks, as it may cause liver and kidney damage when used in large amounts or for long periods.
- It can lead to heart rhythm disturbances and even cardiac arrest in some rare cases.
For this reason, the use of chloroform as an anesthetic was gradually abandoned in the late 19th century and replaced by safer substances such as halothane and isoflurane.
Other uses of chloroform today
Although it is no longer used for anesthesia in the modern medical field due to its risks, chloroform is still used in some industrial applications, such as:
- Pharmaceutical industry.
- Dissolving oils and fats in chemical laboratories.
- As a raw material in the manufacture of some other chemical compounds.
