The Wondrous Story of Anesthesia

Book excerpt: Edited and written by an international "who's who" of more than 100 authors, including anesthesiologists, nurse anesthetists, bench scientists, a surgeon, and representatives of industry, this text provides a comprehensive history of anesthesia, unique in its focus on the people and events that shaped the specialty around the world, particularly during the past 70 years when anesthesia emerged from empiricism and developed into a science-based practice.