Anaesthesia By Infusion.

New York Times 100 years ago today, August 18, 1912:
New Method for Operations Interests London Medical Circles.
Special Cable to The New York Times.
    LONDON, Aug. 17.— A new method of producing surgical anaesthesia is creating great interest in medical circles — namely, the administration of ether by an infusion into the patient's veins.
    Administration by an infusion, which was started by Buckhardt in Germany a few months ago, has been, extensively tried at University College Hospital and at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, with considerable success. The method is briefly as follows:
    A vein in the arm is selected, and under a local anaesthetic a hollow needle, connected with a reservoir and warming apparatus, is tied in. A 5 per cent. solution, in which there is a salt solution, is then run in, and usually after ten minutes, with very little excitement or struggling, the patient is  unconscious.
    The depth of the anaesthesia can be very accurately controlled by regulating the flow of the fluid mixture. The advantages in cases where the operation is in the head or neck are obvious. as the anaesthetist is well out of the surgeon's way.
    This method is particularly useful for an emergency operation, or when the patient is exceedingly weak after a long illness, as the infusion of the salt solution usually improves his general condition. The patient comes around very rapidly after the administration is stopped, and in the limited number of cases tried so far lung complications have been very rare.