History of nitrous oxide—with special reference to its early use in Germany

The history of nitrous oxide (N2O) begins with its isolation by Joseph Priestly in 1772. Some years later Humphry Davy incidentally noted its analgesic action but this fact was not recognized by surgeons. The gas was used for public entertainment and during one of these demonstrations, Horace Wells realized the therapeutic applicability of the gas. His first public demonstration at the Massachusetts General Hospital was a failure, a story that is too well-known to need re-telling.