Colton, Gardner Quincy

Colton, Gardner Quincy

▪ American anesthetist and inventor
born Feb. 7, 1814, Georgia, Vt., U.S.
died Aug. 9, 1898, Rotterdam, Neth.

      American anesthetist and inventor who was among the first to utilize the anesthetic properties of nitrous oxide in medical practice. After a dentist suggested the use of the gas as an anesthetic, Colton safely used it in extracting thousands of teeth.

      As he was studying medicine in New York (without taking a degree), Colton learned that the inhalation of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, produced exhilaration. After a public demonstration of its effects in New York City proved to be a financial success, he began a lecture tour of other cities. On Dec. 10, 1844, at a Hartford, Conn., demonstration, Horace Wells (Wells, Horace), a dentist, asked Colton to extract one of his teeth while he was under the effects of the gas. Wells began using the gas in his dental practice and later made a controversial claim that he was the first to make practical use of the gas as an anesthetic, which Colton was always careful to acknowledge. Meeting at another lecture in 1863 in New Haven, Conn., J.H. Smith, a dentist, and Colton extracted more than a thousand teeth in less than a month while using the anesthetic.

      Colton, with John Allen, established the Colton Dental Association, which was an immensely successful painless tooth-extraction service. The New York City-based organization opened branch offices in six other cities.

      In addition to his work with anesthesia, Colton invented an electric motor, which was exhibited in 1847. After moving to California during the Gold Rush days, he practiced medicine there for a short time and was then appointed a justice of the peace in San Francisco.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Colton, Gardner (Quincy) — born Feb. 7, 1814, Georgia, Vt., U.S. died Aug. 9, 1898, Rotterdam, Neth. U.S. anesthetist and inventor. He was among the first to use nitrous oxide as an anesthetic in dentistry; after a dentist suggested it, he safely used it in extracting… …   Universalium

  • Colton, Gardner (Quincy) — (7 feb. 1814, Georgia, Vt., EE.UU.–9 ago. 1898, Rotterdam, Países Bajos). Anestesista e inventor estadounidense. Fue uno de los primeros en usar el óxido nitroso como anestésico en odontología; después de que un dentista se lo sugirió, lo empleó… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Gardner Quincy Colton — (February 17, 1814, Georgia, Vermont – August 9, 1898, Rotterdam) was an American showman, lecturer, and former medical student who pioneered the use of nitrous oxide in dentistry.After making $535 from his first public demonstration of nitrous… …   Wikipedia

  • Gardner — Gardner, Ava Gardner, Erle Stanley * * * (as used in expressions) Colton, Gardner (Quincy) Gardner, Alexander Gardner, Ava (Lavinia) Gardner, Erle Stanley …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Quincy — /kwin zee, see/ for 1, 2; /kwin see/ for 3, 4, n. 1. Josiah, 1744 75, American patriot and writer. 2. a city in E Massachusetts, near Boston. 84,743. 3. a city in W Illinois, on the Mississippi. 42,352. 4. a male given name. * * * (as used in… …   Universalium

  • Quincy — (as used in expressions) Adams, John Quincy Colton, Gardner (Quincy) Jones, Quincy Quincy Delight Jones, Jr …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Gardner — /gahrd neuhr/, n. 1. Erle Stanley /errl/, 1889 1970, U.S. writer of detective stories. 2. Dame Helen (Louise), 1908 86, British educator and literary critic. 3. John (Champlin, Jr.) /champ lin/, 1933 82, U.S. novelist and critic. 4. John… …   Universalium

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  • Walter Colton — Rev. Walter Colton (May 9, 1797 ndash; 1851) was a Chaplain for the United States Navy, the Alcalde of Monterey, and the author of Three Years in California and Deck and Port . He was also co publisher of California s first newspaper, The… …   Wikipedia

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