Ancient Natural Painkillers

The use of ethylene had many other benefits, too. Since ethylene was “less toxic on the nervous system or body cells,” it was also unlikely to produce headaches. It didn’t irritate the patient’s lungs, adversely affect blood pressure, or cause excessive bleeding or post-op sweating. Ethylene also produced less acidosis (excessively acidic tissues or body fluids) and rarely caused gas pains. However, ethylene did have some drawbacks. On the minor side, it had a fleeting odor. More seriously, it was extremely explosive, which ruled out its use with thermocautery (cauterization with a heated instrument), the presence of open flames, and surgery in an X-ray room. But ethylene could be used for any other type of operation. No doubt, Apollo’s priestess would have agreed with the surgeon’s assessment of the vaporous anesthetic.