Anaesthesia for the Republic of Plato *

While Plato wished to rise to a knowledge of the Supreme Idea through the realization of the lower ideas, and showed that these contain the essence of things, he pointed out that it is the object of science completely to disclose the attributes of all entities, the idea of good being the key-stone of all rational investigation. Notwithstanding the remoteness of the perfect State, advances in anaesthesia have been made in no uncertain degree, and they have taken place pars passu with those in chemistry and physics. Indeed, Urey, of heavy water fame, has predicted that chemistry will produce the anaesthetics and the disinfectants for the surgery of the future, as it has produced them in the past. It is my purpose, therefore, to discuss some of the relatively recent achievements in anaesthesia which have taken place within the sphere of scientific analysis; and to mention, not without diffidence, from within the field of psychology that which concerns the subject of anaesthesia. In fact, there is a close association between the two. I propose, therefore, to deal first with those means and methods of subduing fear, of producing amnesia, and of inducing somnolence; then to take up those measures which have opposite results and are analeptic; and, then, to consider the effects of anaesthetics on metabolism, more particularly those which have been fairly well proven and are thoroughly illustrative of what may take place in the organism as a whole from anaesthesia. While observing the undesirable actions of anaesthetics we must be very careful; continually to remember their beneficial effects. Throughout this discussion, incomplete as it necessarily must be, attention will be drawn to some of the methods of administering anaesthetics and to some of the steps which may be taken to alleviate the impairments of function they are apt to bring about. It seems not too much to assume that customarily not nearly enough attention is paid to fear, which is perhaps the most fundamental of animal emotions. Anybody contemplating a surgical