RECENT ADVANCES IN ANESTHESIA—1939

With the passing of each successive year, many additions to the rapidly expanding field of anesthesia are made. The past year has added its share of developments. Although there has been but slight advance in the development of new anesthetic agents which are superior to older agents, valuable advances in the use and application of older agents and methods have been made. With inhalation and regional anesthesia still holding their place among the standard methods, intravenous anesthesia has made a progressive advance. Its increased usefulness has been apparent throughout the United States, and its promising possibilities are being fulfilled. Advances in local, spinal, inhalation and intravenous anesthesia will be considered individually, but before this is done a consideration of other methods is in order.

Rectal anesthesia still holds a place in selected cases, but its use is not as prominent as heretofore. Ether in olive oil is still much employed