William T. G. Morton's English Patent for Etherization: Patently Pointless?
Rajesh P Haridas1, Laurence E Mather1, George S Bause2
1From the Retired anesthetist, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Anesthesia and Analgesia
|March 21, 2022
Summary
Newly discovered English patent documents reveal details about William T. G. Morton's 1847 etherization patent. These records shed light on early anesthesia history and transatlantic communications.
Area of Science:
- Medical History
- Anesthesia
- Patent Law
Background:
- William T. G. Morton obtained a provisional English patent for etherization in December 1846.
- The full patent specification was submitted six months later and sealed on June 18, 1847.
- Enrolled copies of these patents at The National Archives, London, are previously undocumented in anesthesia literature.
Purpose of the Study:
- To document and analyze newly discovered English patent records for Morton's etherization.
- To review communications between Boston and London concerning the etherization patent.
- To explore the potential for preliminary etherization trials in London before December 19, 1846.
Main Methods:
- Historical document review of patent specifications and related correspondence.
- Analysis of communications between the United States and the United Kingdom.
- Examination of the role of James Augustus Dorr, Morton's UK agent.
Main Results:
- Provisional and full English patent specifications for etherization, sealed in 1847, have been identified.
- Correspondence regarding the patent and transatlantic communication pathways have been reviewed.
- The potential for early, undocumented etherization trials in London is discussed.
Conclusions:
- Newly identified patent documents offer significant insights into the early history of anesthesia.
- These findings highlight the importance of archival research in uncovering historical medical advancements.
- The previously undocumented patent records contribute to a more complete understanding of etherization's introduction.
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