Library resource guides: History of anaesthesia: Overview

Geoffrey Kaye Museum: Spotlighted Exhibitions

Without Sensation: A brief history of early anaesthesia
Anaesthesia – a word quite a few of us struggle to pronounce. With this complex pronunciation comes a rich history.

Delve into the new online exhibition Without Sensation? A brief history of early anaesthesia to read about human striving to find solutions for painful surgery. This online exhibition provides insight into anaesthesia’s early days. It explores the period from anaesthesia’s discovery to before the trenches of World War I.

It draws examples from within and outside of the Geoffrey Kaye Museum’s Collections and celebrates the trailblazers of anaesthesia without whom we would not be where we are today. The exhibition is launched to coincide with National Anaesthesia Day.

Spotlight

Blessed Days of Anaesthesia by Stephanie J. Snow
ISBN: 9780191539572
Publication Date: 2008-01-01
Among all the great discoveries and inventions of the nineteenth century, few offer us a more fascinating insight into Victorian society than the discovery of anaesthesia.
John Loeser: The Man Who Reimagined Pain by Jane C. Ballantyne This uniquely written title presents both the fascinating biography of Dr. John Loeser, a visionary pioneer in the field of pain medicine, as well as the compelling account of the birth and evolution of pain medicine in the United States and beyond. In this captivating work, readers are taken down the path of an extraordinary man who not only shaped the discipline of pain medicine but also embraced a multitude of passions, leaving an indelible mark on those lucky enough to know him.
ISBN: 9783031390463
Publication Date: 2023-11-14

Anaesthesia and Intensive Care History Supplement
Anaesthesia and Intensive Care is an international journal for clinicians and researchers associated with anaesthesia, intensive care medicine, and pain medicine. Each year this journal publishes a History supplement.
Volume 52 Issue 1, Supplement, November 2024

Littleford J. Douglas Booth Craig, MD, FRCPC. Can J Anaesth. Epub November 7, 2024.
Roy RC. Agents That Came in From the Cold: Enflurane, Isoflurane, Desflurane, and Sevoflurane. Anesth Analg. Epub September 24, 2024.
Lumb AB. Professor John F. Nunn: scientist, anaesthetist and polymath. Br J Anaesth. 2023;130(1):17-20. Keywords: anaesthesia; artificial respiration; carbon dioxide; cell biology; history of medicine; oxygen.
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Abstract
John Francis Nunn (1925-2022) was an anaesthetist and clinical scientist who used his incomprehension of the science of anaesthesia in his early career to guide an extensive lifetime of innovative research. His interests outside of medicine led to him developing renowned expertise in such diverse areas as Egyptian hieroglyphs and the origins of the Earth's atmosphere. He was an outstanding communicator, writing four books alongside an impressive number of papers covering diverse topics from cell biology to history. His greatest contribution is in the understanding of respiratory physiology during anaesthesia which continues to underpin current routine anaesthetic practice and patient safety.

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History of Anaesthesia SIG web page
For more information about this Special Interest Group (SIG), including events, activities, resources and membership, please visit this webpage.

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