COLUMBIA LIBRARIES OFFSITE HEALTH SCIENCES STANDARD r. HX00035300 o ^^^h j^ * l> -v'NEW, SIMPLE, AND READY METHOD OF DROPPING •ETHER FROM THE OR4IGINAL CAN. ^ BY JOSEPH E. LUMBARD, M.D. NEW YORK Anesthetist to the Harlem Hospital; Formerly Anesthetist to Mount Sinai Hospital; Fellow New York Academy of Medicine, etc. Reprinted from the Medical Record October 24, 1908 WILLIAM WOOD & COMPANY NEW YORK .w aJ» -=d^ Tnitwriiiiiiiiiiiiti fiD^^-.g^ >L^ia CoUege of ^Jj^siciansf anb burgeons? Hibrarp Digitized by tine Internet Arcinive in 2010 witin funding from Open Knowledge Commons http://www.archive.org/details/newsimplereadymeOOIumb A NEW, SIAIPLE, AND READY METHOD OF DROPPING ETHER FROIM THE ORIGINAL CAN.^ By JOSEPH E. LUMBARD, M.D., NEW YORK, A.VESTHETIST TO THE HARLEM HOSPITAL; FORMERLY ANESTHETIST TO MOUNT SINAI hospital; FELLOW NEW YORK ACADEMY OF MEDICINE, ETC. The drop method of administering ether is to-day interesting a greater number of surgeons and anes- thetists than ever before. Numerous dropping bot- tles, as well as dropping devices to be inserted into the can, have been contrived, but I believe that valid objections can be raised against all of them to which the method about to be described is not open. One objection to a special bottle is that it is not ad- visable to remove a good ether, for use as an anes- thetic, from the original tin to another container, lest thereby it absorb moisture or become contaminated otherwise. An objection to any particular contriv- ance to be attached to the can is that such is an extra piece of apparatus, which may not be at hand or may be out of order when it is wanted, while, further, both special bottles and droppers are a con- tinual extra expense. *Demonstrated at the meeting of the Harlem Medi- cal Association, June 3. 1908. Copyright, William Wood & Company. ]\Iy method of dropping ether requires no special apparatus, therefore it involves no extra cost. More- over, I have found it is at all times easy to manage and fulfilling perfectly the end desired. Further- more, I believe it to be original with me, for by a careful searching of libraries I cannot find it either pictured or described ; and the opinion of those who ought to know about such things and whom I have consulted is that it is a new idea. This new wav of dropping ether is as follows : Fig. I. I. Make a circular incision through the soft metal cap (Fig. I, c) of the can, as close to the edge of the neck as possible. Extend this about four-fifths of the way around (Fig. 2, a), leaving the flat or center portion of the cap (c) attached to the neck for the remaining one-fourth or less of its circum- ference (b). Fig. 2. 2 Turn this flap (c) back, taking care not to detach it or to crack its connection with the outer rim of the cap still attached to the neck (see Fig. 3). The danger of separation is not great, but as this flap will possibly be of use for a second anes- thesia, all unnecessary to and fro movement should be avoided. 3. Insert a small pledget of absorbent cotton which lias been twisted previously into a sort of wick into the neck and as far up into one angle of the incision as possible, and then turn down the flap (r) to its original position (see Fig. 4). This will then hold the wick (d) tight in the neck. Fig. 4. 4. The can of eiher is now ready for use, and if it be tilted, holding it so that the detached side of the flap is uppermost (Fig. 5), drops of ether will fall from the end of the wick, rapidly or slowly according as the can is tilted much or little. The size of the drops also can be regulated by manipula- tion of the wick. If the cotton be twisted to a fine point, the drops will be small. If the end of the wick be made blunt, the drops will be large. If, moreover, it be desirable to pour ether from the can, the top need not be disturbed ; simply rotate the can so as to bring the middle part of the incision e a Fig. downward, i.e. the part not .plugged by the wick. and when the can is tilted ether will flow out freely. 5. If, after using, some ether remained in the can, Fig the flap (c) can be folded back again as in Fig. 3 and a cork put into the neck^ which will perfectly prevent the escape of ether from the can, yet leave the soft metal flap in a condition for use in a sub- sequent induction of anesthesia (see Fio-. 6). The advantages of this method of dropping ether are availabihty, simpHcity, and cleanhness. It costs nothing, it leaves the purity and strength of the ether undisturbed, and, if it is properly managed^, it will not be possible to deluge the mask or the patient's face. 1925 Seventh Avenue, New York. I COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES ; This book is due on the date indicated below, or at the expiration of a definite period after the date of borrowing, as provided by the rules of the Library or by special arrange- ment with the Librarian in charge. i DATE BORROWED DATE DUE DATE BORROWED 1 DATE DUE 1 i C28(M41)m100 COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES (hsi.stx) RD 86.E9 L972 C.1 A nev/. s :' irow III! mill iiiiiiiiii 2002286270 RD86.E9 Luinbard L972