In my message from our March newsletter, I made a comment about Spring being in the air. Boy was I mistaken! If weathermen are wrong so much of the time, what makes ME think I can forecast the weather? At least I was correct in stating that Easter was right around the corner; I just didn't know it would be under all that snow! Still, things are beginning to heat up for the summer. We have plenty of opportunities for CRNAs and MDs looking for that perfect summer assignment. We also have coverage available for those groups and hospitals looking to cover vacations and staff vacancies. Call your National Account Manager early for the best solution to your needs!
In this issue of the "National News", we are only including one article, due to its length. This article is Part Two of a Four Part series, Who Really Discovered Anesthesia? We have also included a poem about Character and a recap of the Boston NEANA meeting titled March 29 - April 1, National Anesthesia Hits Bean Town!
Don't forget to check our website frequently at

www.nationalanesthesia.com

Our postings can change quickly and are updated daily so they are always current.
Once again, thank you for allowing us to "Connect" with you through our Newsletter and I hope you will enjoy this issue.

Let's Stay Connected!

Stephen Read, President
National Anesthesia Services, Inc.

Watch your thoughts;
they become words.
Watch your words;
they become actions.
Watch your actions;
they become habits.
Watch your habits;
they become character.
Watch your character;
it becomes your destiny.

-----
By Frank Outlaw

The contenders and their stories, an overview of Charles Jackson and Horace Wells's claims.

HORACE WELLS (1815-1848)
A tall, handsome New Englander, Horace Wells studied dentistry and opened his first practice in Hartford, Conn., in 1836, at the age of 21. Wells gained a solid reputation as a dentist and prospered, but he was disturbed by the pain he inflicted, especially during extractions. In December of 1844, Wells attended a traveling show at which nitrous oxide demonstrations were performed. Wells noticed that a man who struck his shins while under the influence of the gas felt nothing. Wells invited the laughing-gas showman, Gardner Colton, to meet him at his office the next day. During this visit Wells asked Colton to administer nitrous oxide to him while another dentist extracted one of Wells's teeth. The extraction was painless. Thereafter, Wells learned how to manufacture and administer this gas, and he used it in a number of extractions. He did not patent the gas because he believed it should "be as free as the air we breathe." With the assistance of his former dental partner, William Morton, Wells demonstrated his discovery at Massachusetts General Hospital in January, 1845. Wells began his extraction before the gas had taken effect, however, and the patient screamed. The attending medical observers jeered Wells, and he was ridiculed as a charlatan in the Boston press. In December of 1846, Wells printed the results of his studies in anesthesia, but his ostracism by the Boston medical profession had left him an emotionally crippled man. He continued to experiment- -on himself--with a variety of gases, including nitrous oxide, ether, and chloroform. These vapor inhalations strongly affected him emotionally, and he deteriorated mentally. In New York City in 1848, he sniffed chloroform, went berserk, and threw acid on the clothes of a prostitute. Jailed for this offense, Wells committed suicide by slashing an artery in his leg.

DR. CHARLES JACKSON (1805-1880)
An eccentric genius, Massachusetts-born Charles Jackson's career embraced both medicine and geology, and he was not only a renowned medical chemist but also a mineralogist. A flamboyant yet brilliant scientist, Jackson had observed as early as 1834 that chloroform deadened nerves, and in 1837 he had studied the effects of nitrous oxide. In 1842, according to his account, he rendered himself unconscious for 15 minutes by inhaling ether and so realized the anesthetic properties of that gas. On Sept. 30, 1846, Jackson instructed William Morton to use ether in tooth extractions and thus invented anesthesia. In the decades that followed, Jackson was bitterly embroiled in the unresolved controversy over who had discovered anesthesia. He continued to work as a chemist and geologist until 1873, when he became violently insane, possibly due to his personal experimentation with various gases, and was admitted to an asylum. There he died seven years later.

Life is like a library owned by the author. In it are a few books which he wrote himself, but most of them were written for him.

-----
Harry Emerson Fosdick

Denise Fraser and I represented National Anesthesia at NEANA's (New England Association of Nurse Anesthetists) 60th Annual Meeting in Burlington, MA. The conference was held in a beautiful banquet hall at the Marriott.
This was a first experience for NAS as a vendor in the New England area. We found everyone to be extremely friendly and helpful. Not to mention, it's a gorgeous part of the country!
NAS has a lot of clients and providers in the New England states and it was a great opportunity to see some of the local attractions and meet some of our good CRNA friends.
It wasn't all work though! Denise and I hit the North End in Boston and enjoyed some wonderful Italian food. For dessert, we headed to Mike's Pastry. Can't beat a good cannolli! On a different night, our dancing queen Denise took me to the Line Dance Showdown in Framingham, MA. She really cuts a mean rug! (No better dirt on a coworker than pictures of her line dancing!)
We would like to thank NEANA for all your hospitality and making us feel so welcome. Overall it was a wonderful experience and we met a lot of really great people. The show was a hit, and we wish them a great turnout for the Fall show in Vermont. NAS is looking forward to a return visit sometime in the near future.

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By Kristine Heffelbower

General Disclaimer: The materials have been compiled by National Anesthesia Services. Inc. from internal and external sources. However, while we have attempted to provide accurate information in this publication, no representation is made or warranty given as to the completeness or accuracy of the Materials. In particular, you should be aware that the Materials may be incomplete, may contain errors, or may have become out of date. You should therefore verify information obtained from this publication before you take any action upon it.