Robert Adamson & David Octavius Hill

Sir James Young Simpson, 1811 - 1870. Discoverer of chloroform [a]

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About this artwork

An Edinburgh obstetrician, Sir James Young Simpson is famous for his discovery of the use of chloroform as an anaesthetic during surgery and childbirth. In 1847, whilst searching for a substitute for ether, known to have several disadvantages, Simpson and his assistants tried inhaling a sample of chloroform. Their immediate collapse and unconsciousness convinced them of the effectiveness of the substance as a sedative and painkiller, and within a week it had been successfully used during surgery.

Updated before 2020

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Robert Adamson

Robert Adamson