ACE mixture

ACE mixture is an historical anaesthetic agent for general anaesthesia. It was first suggested by George Harley[1] and first used in England around 1860. In 1864 it was recommended for use by the Royal Medical and Surgical Society's Chloroform Committee. It was rarely used after the 19th century, except in Germany, where it was used for slightly longer.[2]

It was a mixture of alcohol, chloroform and ether[1][3] which gives the mixture its name. Its effects were said to be between that of chloroform and ether and it was used when ether alone was contraindicated.[1] Its boiling point was given as 48°C.[4] Its actual safety margin over its components alone was marginal.[5][6]

  1. ^ a b c Wilmot Buxton, Dudley (2009-12-09). Anaesthetics - Their Uses and Administration (Reprint of the first edition - 1888). Read Books. pp. 332–340. ISBN 978-1-4446-9013-2.
  2. ^ Wawersik, Juergen (1991). "History of anesthesia in Germany". Journal of Clinical Anesthesia. 3 (3): 235–244. doi:10.1016/0952-8180(91)90167-L. PMID 1878238.
  3. ^ "Everybody" (pseudonym) (1935). Everybody's Family Doctor. London: Odhams Press. p. 11. OCLC 558994903.
  4. ^ Mccardie, WJ (1898-12-17). "On the administration of a certain mixture of chloroform and ether in gynecological operations by means of a Clover's inhaler without the bag". The Lancet. 152 (3929): 1621–1624. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(01)84517-7.
  5. ^ "Deaths under chloroform And A.C.E. mixture". The British Medical Journal. 2 (1663): 1072–1073. 1892-11-12. JSTOR 20222445.
  6. ^ "Death Under Chloroform". The British Medical Journal. 2 (1698): 143. 1893-07-15. doi:10.1136/bmj.2.1698.152. JSTOR 20225168. S2CID 1432522.