How was ether administered?

In the early days of anesthesia, ether was primarily administered using an open-drop method. This involved dropping ether onto a cloth, sponge, or gauze that was then held close to the patient's face. As the ether vaporized, the patient would inhale it. Later, a variety of different inhaler devices were developed to administer ether more effectively and reduce the risk of side effects.

One common inhaler device was the Clover's inhaler, which consisted of a metal cone with a mouthpiece at one end and a valve at the other. The ether was poured into the inhaler, and the patient would breathe in and out through the mouthpiece, inhaling the ether vapor from the device. Another device, known as the Heidbrink ether vaporizer, used warm water to vaporize the ether, ensuring a constant and controlled concentration of ether vapor for the patient.