CHLOROFORM. Editor, Indian Medical Gazette." Sir,?There is one point regarding the chloroform ques* tion which, it appears to me, has never been sufficiently considered, and that is the possible effect of climate or race in modifying the action of anaesthetics. One rarely takes without finding the record of up an Bullish medical journal To
the
"
two deaths from chloroform, and yet such deaths very rare in India. Within the past sixteen years I have only heard of two such cases in this country. Is this immunity due to better chloroform, to more skilful methods of administration, to the effects of climate, or to differences of race. The first of these factors may, I think, at once be dismissed from consideration, as tho chloroform used in India is all supplied from English houses. As regards the second factor, I suppose that there are very few medical men in India who would attempt and claim for Iudiau surgeons greater skill as anaesthetists than their brethren in England. E en the devotees of Syme would admit this, as probably the great majority of medical men in India have been trained either in English or Irish schools, and very few in the doctrines of Syme. When one reads the reports of fatal cases in Eugland carefully described by experienced anesthetists, it is impossible to believe that these deaths have been due to faulty methods of administration or that the anresthetist did not watch tho respiration just as keeuly as the most ardent disciple of S3rme would have done. We are left then, it seems to me, to the consideration of the effects of climate and race. Some years ago l'rofessor Wood in America drew attention to this view of tho question, but since that time it has received but little attention. Surely research in this direction is likely to prove of more value than discussion and argument about the results of experiments on animals. We certainly administer chloroform under some advantages in India. Our rooms are not heated by artificial means, and ventilation is free ; in fact, we practically operate in the open nir. Again, our patients are not swaddled up with clothing, but, on tho contrary, have almost nothing on. Our patients know nothing of the effects of chloroform, one or
are
and
are
seldom
nervous
concerning
it.
In
England, on
tha
March other these
INDIAN FEVERS.
1893.]
liaud, thanks to the obnoxious practice questions in lay journals, the public all
of discussing know something about the effects of chloroform and the divided opiuions regarding its action. In consequence of this, patients who imagine that they have weak hearts generally come to the operating table in fear and trembling. No doubt other differences will suggest themselves to surgeons who study this question.
J. MAITLAND, Sueg.-Maj.,
i.m.s.
95
the
"
two deaths from chloroform, and yet such deaths very rare in India. Within the past sixteen years I have only heard of two such cases in this country. Is this immunity due to better chloroform, to more skilful methods of administration, to the effects of climate, or to differences of race. The first of these factors may, I think, at once be dismissed from consideration, as tho chloroform used in India is all supplied from English houses. As regards the second factor, I suppose that there are very few medical men in India who would attempt and claim for Iudiau surgeons greater skill as anaesthetists than their brethren in England. E en the devotees of Syme would admit this, as probably the great majority of medical men in India have been trained either in English or Irish schools, and very few in the doctrines of Syme. When one reads the reports of fatal cases in Eugland carefully described by experienced anesthetists, it is impossible to believe that these deaths have been due to faulty methods of administration or that the anresthetist did not watch tho respiration just as keeuly as the most ardent disciple of S3rme would have done. We are left then, it seems to me, to the consideration of the effects of climate and race. Some years ago l'rofessor Wood in America drew attention to this view of tho question, but since that time it has received but little attention. Surely research in this direction is likely to prove of more value than discussion and argument about the results of experiments on animals. We certainly administer chloroform under some advantages in India. Our rooms are not heated by artificial means, and ventilation is free ; in fact, we practically operate in the open nir. Again, our patients are not swaddled up with clothing, but, on tho contrary, have almost nothing on. Our patients know nothing of the effects of chloroform, one or
are
and
are
seldom
nervous
concerning
it.
In
England, on
tha
March other these
INDIAN FEVERS.
1893.]
liaud, thanks to the obnoxious practice questions in lay journals, the public all
of discussing know something about the effects of chloroform and the divided opiuions regarding its action. In consequence of this, patients who imagine that they have weak hearts generally come to the operating table in fear and trembling. No doubt other differences will suggest themselves to surgeons who study this question.
J. MAITLAND, Sueg.-Maj.,
i.m.s.
95
