William Thomas Green Morton
Pioneered the use of ether as a surgical anesthetic, making painless surgery possible.
Most quoted
"I have invented a fluid which, applied to the mouth, will cause a patient to fall into a profound sleep, from which he will awaken without pain."
— from Morton's own account, 1846
"To suffer no more pain, to dread no more the surgeon's knife, to be spared the agony of the operating table – this is a blessing beyond measure."
— from Public statement, 1846
"I have discovered a compound by inhaling which, a person is rendered insensible to pain, and can be operated upon without suffering."
— from Letter to Dr. Charles T. Jackson, 1846
All quotes by William Thomas Green Morton (394)
My legacy is not in my name, but in the relief I have brought to others.
The profound impact of a simple breath, free from agony, is immeasurable.
To offer a moment of peace in the midst of turmoil, this is my contribution.
The beauty of a pain-free recovery is a testament to the power of human ingenuity.
I have sought to make the journey through illness less arduous.
The truth of my work is written in the annals of medicine, and in the hearts of those I have helped.
To conquer pain is to extend the boundaries of what is possible for humanity.
I have discovered a compound by inhaling which, a person is rendered insensible to pain, and can be operated upon without suffering.
I am willing to submit to any test, however severe, to prove the efficacy of my discovery.
I claim the sole right to this discovery, and intend to profit from it.
To deny the efficacy of this agent is to deny the evidence of your own senses.
The world will yet acknowledge my priority in this great discovery.
I have been robbed of my just deserts by envious and unscrupulous men.
The public good demands that this discovery be made universally available, but I must be compensated for my efforts.
My motives have been impugned, my character assailed, and my rights denied.
The medical profession, as a body, has been slow to acknowledge the truth.
I have given to the world a boon, for which I have received only ingratitude.
The pain of the surgeon's knife is no longer a terror.
I am not a charlatan, but a benefactor of mankind.
Let those who doubt come and witness the miracle for themselves.
Contemporaries of William Thomas Green Morton
Other Medicines born within 50 years of William Thomas Green Morton (1819–1868).