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Rezaee Hassanabadi V. R, Azizi Pegah
Of all milestones and achievements in medicine, conquering pain must be one of the very few that has potentially affected every human being in the world. It was in 1846 that one of mankind's greatest fears, the pain of surgery, was eliminated. Anesthesia is one of the most important discoveries in the history of medicine and has completely revolutionized the quality of healthcare that patients can receive. In fact, it’s almost impossible to imagine healthcare without the application of anesthesia.Today every single person benefits from painless surgeries and medical procedures, thanks to the remarkable discoveries in the field of anesthesia dating all the way back to 4000 BCE. Although the chemicals used as an anesthetic have significantly changed, many of the modern applications such as nitrous oxide and intravenous anesthetic are a result of discoveries in the 1600s and 1700s.[1]Now patients have several anesthetic options, from gas to IV, accommodating any kind of procedure they require. Anesthetic application is one of the most valuable components of modern healthcare and continues to be one of the leading interests in the medical field.Despite their necessity in modern medicine, scientists aren't sure exactly how anesthetics work. The best theory suggests that they dissolve some of the fat present in brain cells, changing the cells’ activity. But, the precise mechanisms remain unknown. For now, next time you find yourself under the knife, just be happy they do. [2] Keywords: Anaesthesia, history of medicine, anaesthetic, healthcare, surgery