Did You Know? Young American physician Crawford W. Long noticed that his friends felt no pain when they injured themselves while staggering around under the influence of ether (for fun). He realized its potential as a painkiller during surgery, and surgical anesthesia was used for the first time March 30, 1842. LEARN MORE.
As someone who was anesthetised with ether for a childhood surgery I can state with certainty that, though better than surgery with no anesthesia, it was a horrific experience going under.