Authors: Kulesus K et al.
Anesthesiology. November 10, 2025.
Summary:
This Letter to the Editor comments on a recently published Anesthesiology article regarding the historical credit given to William T. G. Morton for the first successful public demonstration of ether anesthesia. The authors emphasize that Morton was not the first to use ether for surgical anesthesia. That distinction belongs to Dr. Crawford W. Long of rural Georgia, who successfully used ether on March 30, 1842—more than four years before Morton’s 1846 demonstration at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Despite Long’s priority, Morton gained widespread recognition because his demonstration was quickly publicized by Boston surgeon Henry J. Bigelow in a prominent medical journal, giving Morton national attention. Long, on the other hand, did not publish his own work until 1849 in the relatively obscure Southern Medical and Surgical Journal, delaying recognition of his pioneering role.
The authors note that Morton and Charles Jackson later attempted to patent an ether-and-orange-oil mixture called Letheon, an effort to claim commercial and scientific ownership of the discovery. Morton did not publish his own account of ether anesthesia until 1850.
Ultimately, the historical record — and even the United States government — recognizes Dr. Crawford W. Long as the first to use ether anesthesia, acknowledged formally by a commemorative postage stamp issued in 1940.
What You Should Know
• Dr. Crawford W. Long first used ether anesthesia in 1842, predating Morton by more than four years.
• Morton’s fame was due to immediate and wide publication, not priority of discovery.
• Morton and Jackson attempted to patent Letheon to claim ownership of ether anesthesia.
• Long’s delayed publication and geographic isolation slowed recognition of his major contribution.
• Historical review and federal recognition affirm Long as the true pioneer of ether anesthesia.
Key Points
• Ether anesthesia was first used surgically by Dr. Crawford W. Long, not Morton.
• Morton’s historical prominence resulted from rapid journal publication, not scientific precedence.
• Attempts to patent Letheon complicated early anesthesia history.
• Long’s late publication created long-standing confusion about credit.
• The U.S. government officially recognized Long as the first ether anesthetist in 1940.
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