Up Next
Back to Show
Reactions
How Does Anesthesia Work?
Season 3
Episode 42
October 16 is World Anesthesia Day, celebrating the 170th anniversary of the first successful demonstration of surgical anesthesia. Prior to then, surgery was really unpleasant, to put it mildly -- surgeons turned to alcohol, narcotics and even smacking their patients on the head to induce unconsciousness. Fortunately, anesthesia now allows tens of thousands patients every day to avoid the pain.
Support Provided By
4:39
What makes kimchi sour and spicy, yet also surprisingly rich and buttery?
3:53
Flame-retardant chemicals can slow the spread of fire in homes and garments.
4:11
Fish living in the oceans around Antarctica seem like they should freeze to death.
4:30
Throwing rice at weddings won't hurt birds--and we can prove it with chemistry.
4:10
How Much Tea Would it Take to Turn the Boston Harbor into Tea?