by Christopher Paul on May 28, 2012 The New England Journal of Medicine has an article talking about the advances in surgery of the last two hundred years. It’s impossible for us to imagine a world without anstisia or antiseptics but, in the history medical science, those are recent discoveries that have vastly changed the way we think of life, mortality, and curing the sick. Just read this passage to get a small sense for what it was like before:
“Before anesthesia, the sounds of patients thrashing and screaming filled operating rooms. So, from the first use of surgical anesthesia, observers were struck by the stillness and silence. In London, Liston called ether anesthesia a “Yankee dodge” — having seen fads such as hypnotism come and go — but he tried it nonetheless, performing the first amputation with the use of anesthesia, in a 36-year-old butler with a septic knee, 2 months after the publication of Bigelow’s report.10 As the historian Richard Hollingham recounts, from the case records, a rubber tube was connected to a flask of ether gas, and the patient was told to breathe through it for 2 or 3 minutes.12 He became motionless and quiet. Throughout the procedure, he did not make a sound or even grimace. “When are you going to begin?” asked the patient a few moments later. He had felt nothing. “This Yankee dodge beats mesmerism hollow,” Liston exclaimed.”
The article can be a bit detailed at times so if you’re a little squeemish, you might want to avoid it. But it’s still a nice, brief, overview of how far we’ve come in the past two hundred years or so.
by Christopher Paul on May 28, 2012 The abbreviation “Mrs.” was originally short for mistress.
“At the time, “mistress” didn’t popularly have the negative connotation as it often does today, namely referring to a woman other than a man’s wife who he has an affair with. Instead, back then “mistress”, deriving from the Old French “maistresse” (female master), was just the feminine form of “mister/master”. “Mistress” itself first popped up in English around the 14th century, originally meaning “female teacher, governess”.”
During the 17th to 19th centuries, Mrs.’ preferred pronunciation changed from mistress to “missus” or “missis” as the term mistress was used to describe a woman involved with a married man.
Be sure to read the bonus facts at Today I Found Out because they’re pretty interesting too. Oh… and one of them is telling you how to properly spell the plural abbreviation of Mr. which is Messrs. I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t know that until I was in college and started reading the Wall Street Journal where it’s used frequently.
by Christopher Paul on May 27, 2012 by Christopher Paul on May 27, 2012 
I have no idea how this works but I bet this pint lock can come in handy more than enough times to justify the $7 price tag. It could also be a nice practical joke to play on any ice cream fans as I suspect this works on just about all pint containers.
via The Loop
by Christopher Paul on May 27, 2012 The New-York Historical Society has an exhibit on the history of beer in New York City. Starting with the colonial era and ending to the modern day craft breweries which were made legal in the 70’s, they trace the impact beer has had on the city, state, and nation since New York State was the largest producer of hops in the mid–1880s.
“Exhibit sections explore such topics as: the nutritional properties of colonial beer and early New York brewers in the age of revolution; infrastructure innovations and the importance of access to clean water; large-scale brewing in nineteenth-century New York and the influence of immigration; the influence of temperance and impact of prohibition; bottling, canning, refrigeration and other technological advances; and the state of the city’s breweries in the age of mass production. Featured artifacts and documents include: a 1779 account book from a New York City brewer who sold beer and ale to both the British and patriot sides; sections of early nineteenth-century wooden pipes from one of the city’s first water systems; a bronze medal that commemorates an 1855 New York State temperance law; beer trays from a variety of late nineteenth-century brewers; sign from the campaign to repeal prohibition; and a selection of advertisements from Piels, Rheingold and Schaefer, beloved hometown brewers. The exhibit concludes with a beer hall that features a selection of favorite New York City and State artisanal beers.”
It runs until September 2 so it’s the perfect exhibit for the summer. Check out the exhibit’s home page for the beer hall hours and their admissions page for pricing.
Thanks to @Jessica_In_NOVA for sending this my way!