October 16th is a milestone date that marks the first public demonstration of ether as an anaesthetic, heralding the end of copious alcohol and a sponge wedged in a patient’s mouth to numb patients for surgery.
That first successful operation was conducted on October 16th, 1846, at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Barely two months later, in the grip of the Great Famine, Ireland followed suit.
Mr John MacDonnell administered ether on January 1st, 1847, at the Richmond Hospital in Dublin to an 18-year-old girl who underwent an amputation of her septic arm without feeling any pain.
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“I regard this discovery as one of the most important in this century, it will rank with vaccination, and other of the great benefits that medical science has bestowed on man,” MacDonnell wrote at the time.
None of us today can imagine a world without anaesthesia.
Before its remarkable discovery, surgery was associated with the taking of numbingly large quantities of alcohol with the desperate patient clasping a sponge or stick in their mouth in an attempt to withstand the gruesome pain of being cut open while awake. It is now the safe and humane medical practice, and has unquestionably paved the way for the advancement of modern surgery.
Anaesthesia is much more than just simply putting a person asleep for surgery. It is a vital part of medicine that keeps patients safe, comfortable and free from pain or fear during surgery and helps them recover smoothly.
It can be given in different ways – general, regional or local – and the type used is carefully chosen to suit the patient and the type of surgery they are undergoing. Beyond the operating theatre, anaesthesiologists play vital roles in critical care, pain management, perioperative medicine and resuscitation, making them central figures in hospital medicine. In fact, more than 70 per cent of acute therapeutic activity in hospital today depends on the input of anaesthesiology doctors.
It is a day to acknowledge anaesthesiologists for their dedication, to raise awareness of their professionalism, and to inspire the next generation
The celebration of World Anaesthesia Day is not only a tribute to the pioneers who revolutionised surgery, but also an opportunity to appreciate the silent guardians of the operating room. Previously called by the tongue-twisting name of “anaesthetists”, they are now called by an equally difficult name to pronounce: “anaesthesiologists”, which reflects their modern day role in healthcare in Ireland as specialist doctors. These doctors combine scientific precision, vigilance and compassion to ensure every patient’s safety.
In today’s world, where medical technology is rapidly advancing, anaesthesiology has grown enormously in sophistication from those initial days in the Massachusetts General Hospital “Ether dome”. Now, there are advanced monitoring systems, computer-driven ventilators and anaesthetic machines, safer drugs with fewer side effects and modern intensive care units which care for our sickest and most vulnerable patients, as we saw so vividly during the recent Covid pandemic.
Yet, the core mission of the specialty remains essentially unchanged: to relieve suffering and uphold the dignity of patients.
The College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland (CAI) was established in 1998, previously having been part of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). The college, based in 22 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, trains approximately 60 doctors in anaesthesiology, critical care and pain medicine each year. Across Ireland, more than 500 anaesthesiology consultants provide care in our operating theatres, intensive care units and pain management clinics.
The CAI is proud of its world-renowned training programme and its fellowship (FCAI), which is highly regarded internationally. For the past number of years, its training programme has ranked as the number one choice among young Irish doctors applying for schemes.
Like all medical colleges in Ireland, the CAI is responsible for setting and maintaining standards in training, examinations, and ongoing professional education for anaesthesiologists in Ireland. In recent years, the college has also placed emphasis on contemporary issues such as supporting the wellbeing of its doctors due to the high-stress nature of the specialty, and addressing the environmental impact of some anaesthesia gases – which is influencing a gradual move to non-gaseous techniques (or intravenous-based anaesthetics) as a more sustainable option.
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The college, a registered charity, supports a very active global health programme. This year, it will be celebrating 20 years of education and teaching in Malawi, one of Africa’s poorest countries, where more than 600 anaesthetic officers have graduated from its respected HOT (High Dependency, Obstetric and Trauma) course.
It also runs an increasingly successful educational programme for the training of anaesthesiologists in 14 sub-Saharan countries through CANECSA (College of Anaesthesiology of East Central and Southern Africa) with the support of Irish Aid, RCSI and COSECSA (College of Surgery East Central and Southern Africa). An impressive 93 per cent of anaesthetic officers trained through this programme choose to stay and work in Africa. This is promising for the future of surgery, anaesthesia, obstetrics and perioperative care in these African countries with limited medical resources.
World Anaesthesia Day is a chance to celebrate how far medicine has come and to recognise the vital role anaesthesiologists play in bringing patients safely through their surgical journey – here in Ireland and throughout the world.
It is a day to acknowledge anaesthesiologists for their dedication, to raise awareness of their professionalism, and to inspire the next generation to continue to advance the expanding role of anaesthesiology in modern healthcare.
It is also a moment to reflect with pride on Ireland’s contribution to global health, particularly in the perioperative area in less resourced African countries through education and training – an effort that often goes unnoticed.
As we reflect on our achievements of our specialty, it also serves as the perfect reminder of the work that still lies ahead. In the words of a famous Irish politician: “A lot done, more to do.”
- Dr Patrick Seigne is honorary secretary of the council of the College of Anaesthesiology of Ireland, and consultant anaesthesiologist/intensivist, Cork University Hospital.
