Page:American Medical Biographies - Kelly, Burrage.djvu/736

LONG other paper further showing his interest in the subject of public health). "He was always found to be an advocate of progress in the sciences, and his benevolence … led him to make persistent efforts for the improvement of the physical, mental and moral condition of the race. His name is closely identified with all measures in this direction in California for over a quarter of a century" (Toner). In 1867 he made a second journey to Europe, spending several months visiting medical institutions in France, England and Germany. Besides the offices named, Dr. Logan was president of Agassiz Institute of Sacramento and meteorologist of the State Agriculturist Society of California; he was an honorary member of the Imperial Botanical and Zoological Society of Vienna.

Dr. Logan married Susan W. A., only daughter of Judge John S. Richardson, of South Carolina; their only surviving son, Thomas M. Logan, graduated in medicine at the Medical College of South Carolina and practised at Columbia, Alabama. In 1864 Dr. Logan's wife died and in 1865 he married Mary A., daughter of Samuel Greely, of Hudson, New Hampshire; they had no children.

On February 13, 1876, Logan died at his home in Sacramento, of pneumonia.



Long, Crawford Williamson (1815–1878)

The credit for first using ether as an anesthetic, though not of demonstrating it to the medical world, must be ascribed to Crawford W., son of James Long, a lawyer of Danielsville, Georgia, where Crawford was born on the first day of November, 1815.

His paternal grandfather, Capt. Samuel Long, of Pennsylvania, distinguished himself during the Revolutionary War, and was one of Gen. Lafayette's officers at Yorktown.

He matriculated at Franklin College—now the University of Georgia—at an early age. Subsequently studying for one year at the University of Pennsylvania, he graduated there D. M. in 1839, then spent a year in New York, and there attained reputation as a skilful surgeon, and though a young man, soon acquired an extensive practice, for his abilities were apparent. In 1841, because of family importunities, he returned to Georgia and began practice in the village of Jefferson. His office became the place of sojourn of the young men of the village who desired a pleasant evening. About that time the inhalation of laughing gas, as an exhilarant, was much discussed. Lecturers on chemistry would sometimes entertain by giving a "nitrous oxide party," during which the participants would become drunk from breathing it. It was in the winter of 1841 that some young friends importuned Dr. Long to permit them to have a party in his rooms. The physician had no means of preparing nitrous oxide gas, but suggested that sulphuric ether would produce similar exhilaration. The ether was produced; the young men inhaled and became hilarious, some of them receiving bruises. Long noted these bruises were not accompanied with pain, so divined that ether must have the power of producing insensibility, and from this simple observation came the great discovery of anesthesia.

He promptly determined to prove the value of his discovery, and during the month of March, 1842, ether was administered to Mr. James Venable until he was completely anesthetized, then a small cystic tumor was taken from the back of his neck. To the amazement of the patient he experienced no pain. From five to eight other cases, testing the anesthetic power of ether, were satisfactorily dealt with by Dr. Long during the years 1842 and 1843—quite a goodly number when it is remembered that more than half a century ago surgical operations were not frequent in the country practice of a young physician.

Dr. Crawford Long's surgical operations, under ether, were exhibited to medical men and also to persons of the community, as established by affidavits of persons operated upon, and of witnesses to the operations. Says Ange De Laperrière, M. D., of Jackson County: "I do certify to the fact of Dr. C. W. Long using sulphuric ether by inhalation to prevent pain in surgical operations was frequently spoken of and became notorious in the county of Jackson, Georgia, in the year 1843." In May, 1843, Drs. R. D. Moore and Joseph B. Carlton, for many years leading physicians in the city of Athens, Georgia, discussed the trial of Dr. C. W. Long's discovery in a case of surgery before them. They were unfortunately prevented from making the experiment by having none of the fluid at hand. Mrs. Emma Carlton, widow of Dr. Joseph B. Carlton, who died recently in Athens after living here for many years, signed the following: "I do certify that Dr. Crawford W. Long, of Jefferson, Jackson County, advised my husband, Dr. Joseph B. Carlton, a resident of Athens, Georgia, to try sulphuric ether as an anesthetic in his practice. In November or December, 1844, in Jefferson, Georgia, while on a visit to that place, in the