Overview of a General Anesthetic Flashcards

Pedanius Dioscorides

Greek physician who in 40 AD coined the term "anesthesia" to describe the combined surgical effects of Atropa mandragora and alcohol.

Morphine

The active ingredient extracted from opium in 1803 by Friedrich Wilhelm Serturner of Germany, named after Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams.

Morton's Ether Inhaler

Invention used by William T. G. Morton in 1846 during the first public demonstration of inhalational anesthesia, consisting of a glass bulb, an ether-soaked sponge, and a spout for the patient's mouth.

Dr. John Snow

Recognized as the first professional anesthesiologist in England after administering chloroform to Queen Victoria during childbirth in 1853 and 1857.

Four Goals of an Anesthetic

The core objectives of general anesthesia: lack of awareness (amnesia), pain relief (analgesia), immobility, and patient safety.

Pharmacodynamics

The study of what a drug does to the body through interactions with receptors, cell membranes, enzymes, proteins, and ion channels.