AHA/HAS JOINT MEETING--MAY, 1999

A.J. Wright, MLS
Department of Anesthesiology Library
School of Medicine
University of Alabama at Birmingham

a.j.wright@ccc.uab.edu

Anesthesia history enthusiasts from nine countries---including 18 from the United States---gathered in Bristol, England, in mid-May to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the nitrous oxide experiments performed in that city by Thomas Beddoes and Humphry Davy. Held on Thursday, May 13 through Saturday, May 15th, the occasion served as the first joint meeting of the Anesthesia History Association (AHA) in the United States and the History of Anesthesia Society (HAS) of Great Britain. The Society of Anaesthetists of the South Western Region (SASWR) served as a third sponsor.

The conference hotel was the well-appointed Swallow Royal at College Green, down a steep hill from the University of Bristol campus. Meeting displays and presentations took place at the Watershed Conference Centre on the waterfront just a short walk below the Swallow Royal. Promptly at 0930 Thursday morning Professor Cedric Prys-Roberts of the Sir Humphry Davy Department of Anaesthesia, University of Bristol, welcomed the attendees in the crowded lecture hall. Dr. Jean Horton, HAS President, chaired the first session of four papers. Dr. Norman Bergman, author of The Genesis of Surgical Anesthesia, set the tone by offering his insights in "A Critical Re-Reading of Humphry Davy's Researches." The prolific Dr. David Zuck, a past HAS President, examined Davy's work on lung physiology with "Humphry Davy, Nitrous Oxide, and the Measurement of Lung Volume." Dr. Catherine E. Ross from the University of Texas at Tyler offered a fascinating glimpse of her dissertation work in her paper, "Twin Laborours and Heirs of the Same Hopes: Humphry Davy and Romantic Poets." To end the session, yours truly described "Gardner Quincy Colton's 1848 Visit to Mobile, Alabama," just one of Colton's many stops in his tours around America between 1845 and 1848.

The second Thursday morning session was chaired by Dr. George Bause, Honorary Curator of the Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology. Dr. John Birtwistle of the University of Sheffield continued a thread from the previous session in "The Contest of Poetry and Science in the Description of the Bristol Nitrous Oxide Experiences." A fascinating, long-needed look at "Beddoes' Patrons" was provided by Dr. E.T. Mathews of the University of Birmingham. Dr. Micheal Goerig of Eppendorf University Hospital in Hamburg, scheduled next, was unable to attend. Professor Cedric Prys-Roberts moved his delightful "Spreading the Message" talk from its Friday spot to fill the gap.

Dr. Prys-Roberts also served as Chair of the first Friday morning session, which, if possible, was even better attended than the previous day's. Further elements of the relationship between medicine and literature were explored by Ms. Sally Coniam, Lecturer at Bath Spa University College, in her paper "Pain, Disease and the Romantic Poets." Dr. Bause, a descendent of Humphry Davy, announced a "Discovery for the Davy Bicentennial," an anestheisa machine designed by Amos M. Long of Monroe, Michigan. California provided the material for the final two papers of the session. With her usual thoroughness Dr. Selma Calmes, University of California, Los Angeles, examined "How Nitrous Oxide was Introduced into Clinical Practice: The Case for California." Dr. John W. Severinghaus of the University of California, San Francisco, shared a very personal experience in "What Dreams May Come with Nitrous Oxide."

Dr. Theodore C. Smith, President of the AHA, served as Chair of the next session. Dr. Richard Bodman from Cork, Ireland, described the fascinating research involved in "Trial of Muscle Relaxants in Conscious Volunteers, Bristol and Paris, 1951." Although "Elmer McKesson is not here to Defend Himself," Dr. Gerald Zeitlin of Newton, Massachusetts, declared in his title, Dr. Zeitlin at least made an admirable effort to understand and explain McKesson's use of two techniques of nitrous oxide anesthesia that would be unacceptable today.

Friday afternoon's first session, chaired by Dr. Brian Perriss, SASWR President, examined early anesthesia in Bristol. Dr. Robin Weller of the Frenchay Hospital in that city, examined "The First Bristol Anaesthetic," which probably took place on December 31, 1846. Dr. Tony Bennett, also of the Frenchay Hospital and organizer of this wonderful meeting, explored anesthesia's delayed acceptance in "The Eclipsed Dawn of Anaesthesia in Bristol." Finally, Dr. Tom Simpson of the Royal University Hospital in Bath, delighted the audience with a presentation about "My Famous Forbear," Dr. James Y. Simpson.

The final Friday afternoon session of three papers, chaired by Dr. A. Marshall Barr, Hon. Editor of the HAS Proceedings, featured two papers on a related topic. Dr. Gordon Craig from St. Mary's Hospital in Portsmouth speculated, "Would ATLS Have Saved Lord Nelson?" Mr. Bruce Campbell of the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital offered "Current Thoughts on ATLS Training." The session's final offering was The Humphry Davy Lecture in which Dr. David Wilkinson of St. Bartholomew's Hospital challenged our thinking on Davy in "A Lot More than Nitrous Oxide."

Five papers concluded the meeting on Saturday morning in a session chaired by Dr. Roger Eltringham of the Gloucester Royal Hospital. Dr. Bob Marjot of the Royal University Hospital in Bath examined "The John Snow Papers." Dr. Iain Wilson of the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital asked "Ether--An Agent for Today?" Dr. J.C. Diz of Santiago, Spain, described the relationship of Professor Robert R. Macintosh to anesthesia development in his country in "Macintosh and the Spanish Connection." Professor Leslie Rendell-Baker of Loma Linda University in California examined one of the great unanswered questions in anesthesia history by asking "What Prevented the Discovery of Nitrous Oxide Anaesthesia at the Pneumatic Institute?" Finally, local historian and Honorary Tutor at the University of Bristol, Miss Pip Jones, explored the topic "Bristol and the Slave Trade."

Three exhibits were also on display throughout the meeting. Professor Rendell-Baker and Dr. Bause offered "Development of Nitrous Oxide-Oxygen Apparatus and Their Breathing Systems." Dr. Ray J. Defalque of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and yours truly examined the little-known "The Society of Dutch Chemists: Its Contribution to Anesthesia." Dr. Tony Bennett provided "A Selection of Anaesthesia Equipment from the Monica Britton Museum including Davy Artefacts." An informational display about the newly-formed anesthesia history society in France was also available.

Proceedings of this meeting will be published by the HAS sometime in 2000. Readers who are not HAS members can contact the Proceedings Editor for information about obtaining copies:

Dr. A. Marshall Barr
Norscot Rosebery Road
Tokers Green
Reading RG4 9EL
Great Britain

Tel/fax 0118 9479646

marshall.barr@btinternet.com

The social program in Bristol proved as satisfying as the intellectual one. During the day on Wednesday visits were offered to Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire, the Jenner Vaccination Museum in Berkeley, and the Slimbridge Wildlife and Wetlands Trust. Wednesday evening a reception and dinner was held aboard the S.S. Great Britain, the world's first screw passenger liner now docked for restoration where she was built. On Thursday afternoon attendees and their guests were treated to a tour of the wonderful St. Mary Redcliffe, which Queen Elizabeth I in 1574 declared was "the goodliest, fairest and most famous parish church in England." We also visited the site of Thomas Beddoes' Pneumatic Institute on Dowry Square, Hotwells. The former Institute is now two private residences, one of which was for sale at about US$250,000! On Thursday evening a delightful reception/wine tasting and dinner were offered at the Harvey's Wine Cellars and Museum just a short walk from the Swallow Royal. Friday's events included visits to Georgian House and the Old Vic Theatre, the President's Reception at Wills Memorial Building on the University of Bristol campus and the conference banquet in the Great Hall with music provided by the AHA's Dr. David C. Lai. On Saturday attendees could visit Bowood House and take in the farewell reception at Stanton Court, residence of Dr. Peter and Fiona Baskett.

On a personal note, my family very much enjoyed its initial trip to England [although my wife Dianne had visited as a child]. Dianne and I derived great white-knuckled pleasure driving on the "wrong" side of the road from Gatwick Airport to Bristol and back again, with several side trips added for good measure. And those roundabouts really turned our heads! My fifteen year-old son Jason made contact with his English skateboarding peers who performed their stunts daily in the park in front of the Swallow Royal. My eleven year-old daughter found some high-fashion shoes in Bristol with which to impress her friends back in the States. Oh--and we managed to include enjoyable trips to Stonehenge, Stratford-on-Avon, Buckingham Palace, and the Tower of London as well!