Thank God for the experimenters

[Bill in Oregon]

They took their lives in their own hands to conquer dental and surgical pain.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/art ... newsletter

[Bill in Oregon]

Which reminds me: Who here remembers being given ether by the dentist? This was back in the days of cable-driven drills, large-gauge needles and gleaming white porcelain fixtures swirling with water. Talk about woozy waking up ...

[Grizz]

Which reminds me: Who here remembers being given ether by the dentist? This was back in the days of cable-driven drills, large-gauge needles and gleaming white porcelain fixtures swirling with water. Talk about woozy waking up ...

My sister and i got ethered when we had our tonsils whacked off. Why? Is that still done?

[Bill in Oregon]

Grizz, same here, about 1963. They added a peppermint-like scent/flavor and for years afterward, the smell of Ben-Gay made me want to barf. Weird.
I don't think they do tonsillectomies at anything like the rate they did back then. I remember being fed the old line about -- it won't hurt and you get to eat lots of ice cream. Well, it hurt like hell -- so much so that I had no interest in that ice cream.

[Griff]

When I had my first case of tonsillitis, my Mom worked for an oral surgeon, he advised against me getting a tonsillectomy... and over the past 67 years, I've had a few re-occurrences of tonsillitis, but all in all, I feel I've avoided far worse ailments due to still having tonsils that are capable of doing their job. I wonder how many of the victims of Covid had their tonsils removed as youngsters?

[marlinman93]

The first time I was given laughing gas by my dentist I got sick and nearly tossed my cookies. Not sure why, but I can't take it at all. Just makes my stomach turn.

[Bill in Oregon]

Vall, I first had nitrous when about 50 for a root canal. I didn't laugh, but I did say to myself, whoa, he is using a reamer on my molar root and it is kind of amusing.