††††An anaesthetic is a drug or substance that causes a loss of feeling or pain in the body. A general anaesthetic makes the patient go into a deep sleep and become unconscious.
Anaesthetics were developed in the nineteenth century. Nitrous oxide, more commonly known as 'laughing gas', was discovered in 1800. Other anaesthetics followed, such as ether and chloroform.
In 1846 American William Morton became the first person to use ether as an anaesthetic during an operation.
Modern general anaesthetics are usually nitrous oxide, cyclopropane or halothane. Local anaesthetics, such as procaine, are used by dentists and surgeons for minor operations.
