at the rooms of Dr. Wells, by his
special request, to witness the operation upon Mr. F. C.
Goodrich, and witnessed it with the strong sensations
produced by a new and wonderful discovery upon a scientific
observer. He says, not only was the extraction accomplished
without pain, but the inhalation of the gas was effected
without any of those indications of excitement, or attempts
at muscular exertion, which do commonly obtain when the gas
is administered _without a definite object or previous
mental preparation_. 'By this experiment,' says Dr. Marcy,
'two important, and, to myself, _entirely new facts_ were
demonstrated: 1st. That the body could be rendered
insensible to pain by the inhalation of a gas or vapor,
capable of producing certain effects upon the organism. And
2d. When such agents were administered, to a sufficient
extent, for a definite object, and with a suitable
impression being previously produced upon the mind, that no
unusual mental excitement, or attempts at physical effort
would follow the inhalation.

"'Witnessing these wonderful phenomena, these new and
astounding facts, the idea at once occurred to me whether
there were not other substances analogous in effect to the
gas, and which might be employed with more convenience and
with equal efficacy and safety. Knowing that the inhalation
of sulphuric-ether vapor gave rise to precisely the same
effects as those of the gas, from numerous former trials
with both these substances, I suggested to Dr. Wells, the
employment of the vapor of rectified sulphuric ether--at the
same time detailing to him its ordinary effects upon the
economy, and the method of preparing the articles for use.
Our first impression was, that it possessed all the
anaesthetic properties of the nitrous oxyd, was equally safe,
and could be prepared with less trouble, thus affording an
article which was not expensive, and could always be kept at
hand. At the same time, I told Dr. Wells that I would
prepare some ether, and furnish him some of it to
administer, and also make a trial of it myself, in a
surgical case which I expected to operate upon in a few
days. Not long after this conversation (to which allusion is
made by Mr. Goodrich, in his affidavit) I administered the
vapor of rectifie