[ London Times ]
This newspaper, most correctly known simply as The Times, began publication in 1785 and continues to this day.
The edition of January 13, 1847, featured two brief notes about a cutting-edge medical development, the use of ether as an anesthetic during surgery, a discovery which had been made just months before. The first article recounted 2 successful surgeries during which patients felt no pain. The second article reported on the use of ether for veterinary surgery on a Newfoundland:
EXPERIMENT WITH SULPHURIC ETHER. — Mr. R. Lucas, veterinary surgeon of this town, yesterday successfully performed an operation upon a large Newfoundland dog whilst under the influence of sulphuric ether. Mr. Lucas had to remove a tumor from the animal, and, as an experiment, he placed a quantity of the ether at the bottom of a jar which had been previously heated. The head of the dog was then introduced into the mouth of the jar, and the animal in a moment became insensible. During the period of insensibility the operation was performed, and the poor thing evinced not the slightest evidence of pain. In a short time the dog recovered from the effects of the stupefaction, and is now doing well. — Liverpool Mercury.