Pain relief in childbirth became respectable thanks to a queen.

1853

In 1853 Victoria gave birth to Prince Leopold under chloroform, called it 'blessed', and arguments over whether easing labour pains was sinful soon faded.

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The event

• First public demonstration of ether anaesthesia1846 · Boston. On 16 October 1846 at Massachusetts General Hospital, dentist William Morton put a patient under with ether while a surgeon removed a tumour painlessly. Anaesthesia spread worldwide within months and made modern surgery possible.

19th century

More amazing facts

• 1850 · 1861 China's Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864) overlapped with the American Civil War and cost an estimated 20–30 million lives — many times more.
• 1850 · 1856 The father of genetics failed his exam to become a science teacher, more than once.
• 1854 When the Americans 'opened' Japan, they gave it a toy train.
• 1854 The safety lift was sold with a stunt.
• 1855 · 1908 A Crimean War officer lived to be filmed.
• 1856 · 1865 Everest was named after a man who objected.

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