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In The Beginning...
An early form of anesthesia was first used at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston by dentist William T.G. Morton and surgeon John Warren on October 16, 1846. -
Then,
Dr. A. Frederick Erdmann (1867-1953)-Founds the Long Island Society of Anesthetists (LISA), the first professional anesthesia society in the USA. (LISA membership starts as 9 total.) https://www.woodlibrarymuseum.org/history-of-anesthesia/ -
Then,
The 1st of 7 editions of The Art of Anaesthesia is published by Dr. Paluel J. Flagg, the 1919-1920 ASA President. https://www.woodlibrarymuseum.org/history-of-anesthesia/ -
Then,
To the NYSA (the future ASA), Dr. Paul M. Wood formally donates his personal collections, which form the basis of his future namesake, the Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology. https://www.woodlibrarymuseum.org/history-of-anesthesia/ -
Then
The New York Society of Anesthetists is renamed the American Society of Anesthetists. (The ASA's membership reaches 487 in 1936.) https://www.woodlibrarymuseum.org/history-of-anesthesia/ -
Then,
The ASA develops a classification for patient's physical status before surgery that alerts the medical team to patient's overall health. The ASA Physical Status Classification System is now used in hospitals all around the world. https://www.woodlibrarymuseum.org/history-of-anesthesia/ -
After That,
Sweden's Torsten Gordh, MD (1907-2010) clinically introduces lidocaine as a local anesthetic. https://www.woodlibrarymuseum.org/history-of-anesthesia/ -
After that,
John W. Severinghaus developed a complete gas apparatus by combining his practical version of Stow's CO2 electrode with Clark's pO2 electrode. https://www.woodlibrarymuseum.org/history-of-anesthesia/ -
After that,
The Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research (FAER) is founded by the ASA. https://www.woodlibrarymuseum.org/history-of-anesthesia/ -
Then After that,
The ASA publishes its first Difficult Airway Algorithm, specifying a safe and systematic approach to assisted ventilation in patients under general anesthesia. https://www.woodlibrarymuseum.org/history-of-anesthesia/ -
Then,
In its report To Err is Human, the Institute of Medicine lauds the efforts of anesthesiologists in improving patient safety. https://www.woodlibrarymuseum.org/history-of-anesthesia/ -
next,
The Anesthesia Quality Institute (AQI) is founded by the ASA. https://www.woodlibrarymuseum.org/history-of-anesthesia/ -
Almost last,
The ASA Charitable Foundation is established. https://www.woodlibrarymuseum.org/history-of-anesthesia/ -
Almost last,
As its membership numbers pass 50,000, the ASA breaks ground for its Schaumburg, Illinois complex. https://www.woodlibrarymuseum.org/history-of-anesthesia/ -
Finally last,
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) preserves physician-led, team-based care for Veterans in VA health care facilities. https://www.woodlibrarymuseum.org/history-of-anesthesia/
