but on November 4, 1847, he and Duncan and Keith resolved to test it. They all inhaled some from a tumbler, and almost immediately became loquacious and hilarious. Then unconsciousness came on, and Simpson, who was the first to recover, found Duncan under the table, eyes staring, and snoring vigorously, while Keith was kicking at the supper table. The experiment was repeated a few evenings later, and this time a niece of Simpson was induced to take a turn. After inhaling the vapour she fell asleep, murmuring "I'm an angel; I'm an angel." Simpson at once began the use of chloroform in his practice, and his great reputation and powerful advocacy soon caused its general adoption.
A Mysterious Anæsthetic.
A strange and little known story is told by Professor Franck. Van Swieten was a Dutch physician, a pupil of Boerhaave. He did not succeed in his native land so well as he ought to have done, for he was a devout Catholic. He went to Vienna, where he attained the highest medical position and the utmost esteem from his patroness, the Empress Maria Theresa. On May 1, 1771, three young gentlemen called on Van Swieten and were shown into his study. The professor was then an old man, 71 years of age.
"What do you desire, my children?" he asked, as he fingered his beads.
"We come to teach Van Swieten what he knows not," answered one of the young men.
"That is not difficult," replied the veteran. Then they told him they wished to show him a medicine new
