This fascinating work traces the development of anesthesia and painless surgery, from the earliest experiments to the modern era. Emerson highlights the key figures and breakthroughs in the field, and explores the impact of pain management on medical practice and patient outcomes. This book will appeal to anyone interested in the history of medicine or the intersection of science and society. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.