From the “ Philadelphia Medical Times,’’ Feb. 14, 1880. 
PRIORITY IN THE ANAESTHETIC USE OF 
THE BROMIDE OF ETHYL. 
By r- J- leyis. M.D., IS 
Surgeon to the Pennsylvania Hospital and to the Jefferson College Hospital. 
Ix a recent article, in the issue of this journal of 
January 17, I mentioned the claim of Dr. Turnbull to 
priority in the production of anaesthesia in the human 
subject with the bromide of ethyl. In his brochure on 
anaesthetics he distinctly makes this claim in these 
words : “ I was the first to experiment with this ether on 
man.” Whilst feeling no doubt that Dr. Turnbull was 
unconscious that he had long been preceded in such ad- 
ministration, there are clear and decided records of the 
fact. 
Mr. Nunneley, of Leeds, England, demonstrated the 
anaesthetic properties of the bromide of ethyl on some 
of the lower animals in the year 1849, and in 1865 he 
used it frequently on patients undergoing surgical oper- 
ations. The records of these facts occur in the “Trans- 
actions of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Associa- 
tion ” for 1849, vol. xvi, page 206, and as a part of the 
“ Proceedings of the British Medical Association,” 
British Medical Journal, August 19, 1865, page 192. 
It seems also probable that a chemical substance with 
which chemists have been familiar since its discovery in 
the year 1827, and the anaesthetic properties of which 
have been so long known, has received the practical at- 
tention of others of the many investigators in the do- 
main of anaesthesia. 2 
In the volume first referred to is an article on 
“ Anaesthesia and Anaesthetic Substances generally/' 
by Thomas Nunneley, Esq., F.R.S., etc., Senior Surgeon 
to the Leeds General Eye and Ear Infirmary, etc., in 
which are recorded a series of experiments with the 
anaesthetic effects of the bromide of ethyl on the lower 
animals. These experiments, the results of which have 
been confirmed by some more recently made, agree in 
demonstrating the rapidity of the action of this agent 
and the speedy recovery from its impression. 
After recording his observations with a number of 
anaesthetic substances, he says, “ The bromide of ethyl 
is a pleasant, rather fragrant ether, not of a very pene- 
trating smell, is sweetish to the taste, at first rather in- 
sipid than not, but afterwards it is more pungent. It 
possesses very considerable anaesthetic power. Its in- 
halation does not appear to be unpleasant. When not 
used in large quantities, the animals soon recovered 
from a condition of complete insensibility, without any 
disagreeable symptom; and when given, as in No. 98, 
in a full dose, the creature sank down, without moving 
a muscle, merely from its weight, into a state of the most 
profound anaesthesia, within one minute after being put 
into the jar. The fact of respiration continuing at all 
during fourteen minutes in such a condition, shows 
that this fluid is more manageable than some others.” 
In reference to the choice of anaesthetics, Mr. Nun- 
neley, in the same place, remarks, “ The bromide of 
ethyl is a safe, pleasant, and effectual anaesthetic; but, 
inasmuch as it does not possess any such qualities as to 
render its employment more advantageous than some 
other substances, the very great cost of it will, unless 
this can be materially reduced, entirely prevent its use. 
One manufacturer would not prepare it for me under 
one guinea an ounce.”  3 
Happily, the impediment of high cost referred to does 
not now exist, and with an increased production, stimu- 
lated by the demand which is, I believe, destined soon 
to occur, the price of the article will be much lower. An 
analysis of the results of Mr. Nunneley’s experiments 
on the lower animals with a great variety of anaesthetics 
would seem to indicate that the bromide of ethyl has 
qualities which are not equalled by any other substance; 
and such an inference may well be drawn from his own 
guarded statements. 
In regard to the record of Mr. Nunneley’s application 
of the anaesthetic powers of this substance to the human 
subject, the following paragraph from the journal re- 
ferred to will be sufficient: “ Mr. Nunneley showed to 
the members two substances, the bromide of ethyl and 
the chloride of olefiant gas, which for some time past he 
had used as anaesthetics. He stated that he had not 
lately performed any serious operation, either in private 
practice or at the Leeds General Infirmary, without the 
patient being rendered insensible by one or the other of 
these agents, each of which he believed to possess im- 
portant advantages over chloroform. They were among 
the many analogous bodies experimented upon by him, 
and were favorably mentioned in his essay on Anaesthe- 
sia, which was published in the Transactions of the 
Association for 1849. At that time the difficulty and 
cost of their manufacture were too great to allow of 
their being commonly used. This difficulty had, how- 
ever, been overcome, and, should their use become gen- 
eral, they can be made at a cost not exceeding that of 
chloroform, if not at less. They both act speedily, 
pleasantly, and well. The patient might be kept in- 
sensible for any length of time while the most painful 
and prolonged operations were being performed. No 
disagreeable symptoms had, in any case, resulted from 4 
their use. They were prepared for Mr. Nunneley by 
Mr. Squire, of Oxford Street, London, from whom they 
might he obtained/’ 
In the claim to priority in the demonstration of the 
anaesthetic properties of the bromide of ethyl and its 
application to the prevention of human suffering, I 
deem it of importance to make the correct award, as my 
continued experience with it, in the surgery of a large 
general hospital and in private surgical practice, im- 
presses me with the conviction that it is the best 
anaesthetic known to the profession.