Sulphuric ether rose in popularity all through the 19th century , even being officially used by the U . S . Army in 1849 . It was extremely effective and was also a preferred pain-relief to morphine for many soldiers who had seen the addictive side effects of the opiate . The ether was also used recreationally to cause sedation and euphoria .
By National Cancer Institute
And so , there you have it , the story of the first surgery without pain . William T . G . Morton made one of the most significant discoveries of the 19th century , completely altering the world of medicine as we know it – gone were the days of simply dying from shock in open-heart surgery . The world of anaesthesia has grown rapidly since 1846 , even becoming its own branch of medicine with its own specialist doctors . If you ever find yourself in a position where you have to have surgery with anaesthesia , make sure to thank Morton for your pain-free experience .