*Orton JG. Amylene in midwifery. Boston Med Surg J 57:77, 1857

Messrs. Editors---Having reported to you, on a former occasion, a case of successful administration of this new anaesthetic in a surgical operation, I have now the pleasure of informing you that I have given it ina case of parturition with perfect success, and satisfactory results.

August 8, 1857, I was called to attend upon Mrs. H., a young woman spare in flesh and delicate in constitution, aged 24--a primipara. By request, I administered amylene, with the aid of the French inhaler. I commenced giving it to her about 10 A.M., permitting her to inhale from the mouth-piece whenever the labor pains occurred, which was on an average once in eight minutes. I sat by her bedside thus administering the amylene for five hours. She inhaled in all about four ounces. The contractions of the uterus were not affected in the least by the anaesthetic; they were quite as effectual while the patient was under its influence, as when she suffered the pangs of childbirth. She was not stupified by the amylene at any time, except at the very moment of delivery, but was conscious of her situation and able to converse intelligently. As the head of the child engaged in the inferior strait, and the pain occurred in very quick succession, I placed her under the full influence of the anaesthetic, and the child was born without her knowledge of the fact--she having been in labor about five hours. The womb contracted readily upon the placenta, which was expelled in about five minutes afterward. The patient recovered herself in a few minutes, and has continuted to do well up to this date. One point worthy of remark, was, that she retained her strength remarkably well, although of a feeble constitution, and her present favorable and comfortable condition I am inclined to think is in great measure due to her comparatively painless labor.

The amylene which I used was the same as that employed in the case reported some time in June last--from Dr. Snow, of London. Dr. Tyler Smith, of London, reports a case in which he had administered amylene in a case of obstetrics; and as we have no recorded instance of its being so employed in this country, the case which I have related will be of interest. Yours, &c.

Binghamton, N.Y., August 10th, 1857. John G. Orton