Crawford Williamson Long *

I do not propose this evening to delve into the age-old argument concerning the discoverer of anesthesia. It is doubtful if any here assembled have, to any very great extent, witnessed surgery without anesthesia, yet only 100 years ago the screams of agony issuing from the operating room would have chilled the blood of the hardiest among us. The important point of this contribution is not which single man was responsible, but that freedom from operative pain, the scourge of cenituries, was found at last. With this premise in mind I would like to review briefly for you the life of one of the men who played a role in this important discovery-Crawford Williamson Long. After leaving the province of Ulster in Ireland, Samuel Long, a Scotch-Irish Presbyterian, made his way to America and setded in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. In 1787 the Longs moved to Madison County, Georgia; and marching beside his father was young James Long, who was to become the father of Crawford Long. James Long grew up to be an outstanding citizen in his community. His knowledge of law, politics, and business was extensive and for many years he served in the state legislature and senate. He was considered by all a well-to-do progressive southern gentleman. He married Miss Elizabeth Ware, daughter of a prominent Virginia family. Her father-so the story goes-came out of the Revolutionary War with considerable continental money and, believing it to be of no value, used it in papering a small room. Much to his dismay an Act of Congress made this money redeemable, but no Act of Congress told Mr. Ware how to remove it from his wall, and there it stayed. Despite this monetary setback of Mr. Ware, James Long and his wife lived a happy and rather luxurious plantation life. James was fond of fine things, and I gather that none of his family wanted for worldly possessions. On 1 November, 1815, a son was born