Medical milestones, landmark publications, and notable births and deaths associated with January 25.

Events

1847 – First Caesarean section under general anesthesia. Mr Skey performed a Caesarean section at St Bartholomew’s Hospital with ether administered by Mr Tracey (given slowly for 7–8 minutes, with incomplete effect). The infant survived, but the mother died ~36 hours later. Notably, The Lancet record also states that ether inhalation was “unsuccessful, or but very partially successful,” despite later retellings claiming otherwise.

It deserves to be noticed, that the inhalation of the vapour of ether was unsuccessful, or but very partially successful, though, in some accounts of the case which have been published, the contrary has been asserted. Altogether, the present case, though it terminated fatally, is one of the most interesting that has ever occurred in obstetric surgery.

Lancet 1847

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Births

1813 – James Marion Sims (1813-1883), American surgeon; decribed the Sims position, and invented the Sims Speculum and Sims Sigmoid Catheter

1876 – Julius H. Hess (1876-1955), American pediatrician. Widely regarded as the “father of American neonatology” for his pioneering work in neonatal care. Founded the first premature infant station in the United States at Sarah Morris Hospital. Designed the Hess bed (1914, electrically heated infant incubator), transport incubator or “infant ambulance” (1922)

1893 – Pablo Luis Mirizzi (1893-1964), Argentinian surgeon. Invented Mirizzigraphy in 1932 and described Mirizzi Sign (1942), Mirizzi Syndrome (1948)

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Deaths

No major medical milestones added for this date yet — this page is being expanded

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Further reading

• St. Bartholomew’s hospital. The late case of cæsarian operation performed by Mr. Skey. Lancet 1847; 49(1223): 139-140