Etherum
Diethyl ether · Human-made/chemical
Etherum suits patients in a state of anaesthetic intoxication ranging from exhilaration and gorgeous visions to collapse, convulsions, and persistent maniacal conditions. It also covers chronic neuralgia with scalp welts following anaesthesia exposure.
Key symptoms
- Exhilaration, furious excitement, and flushed face under anaesthesia
- Pleasant dreams of flight, gorgeous visions, and unearthly music
- Frightful dreams; hearing one's own funeral bell ringing
- Low-spirited, fearful of disease, desponding for months
- Complete loss of consciousness
- Muzziness, dizziness, headache with partial blindness after anaesthesia
- Convulsions, spasms, and cataleptic states
- Chilliness complained of by many patients
- Severe neuralgia of the head with raised welts like ridges on scalp
Ethyl oxide. Ethylic Ether, sometimes called Sulphuric Ether. (C2H5)2O (Alcohol is C2 H6O).
Clinical
Bronchitis. Catalepsy. Convulsions. Cough. Delirium tremens. Hiccough. Mania. Meningitis. Nausea. Vomiting.
Characteristics
Ether is the well-known anæsthetic, and the effects are those observed in patients under the action of its vapour, administered for the purpose of operation, in habitual ether drinkers (of whom there are numbers in Ireland), and on some who have voluntarily experimented with the drug upon themselves. Closely allied to alcohol, it possesses very similar intoxicating properties, produces visions frequently pleasurable, hallucination, and, in some instances, a persistent maniacal condition. Convulsions, spasms, and a cataleptic state have also been observed. Bronchitis is a not uncommon after-result of ether anæsthesia, and for this Belladonna has been observed to be the best antidote. Chilliness is complained of by many. Macfarlan reports the cure of a woman of 60, who had been confined to …
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