In the 1830s, Scottish surgeon Robert Liston was famed for his rapid amputations, crucial before the advent of anesthesia. This video traces the evolution of anesthetics from ancient concoctions to modern drugs. Highlighting milestones, like Humphry Davy’s nitrous oxide experiments and the public setbacks of ether, it showcases the transformative impact of anesthesia on surgery. Anesthetics’ journey is marked by innovation, skepticism, and refinement, culminating in safer, more effective pain management that has significantly advanced surgical practices, making procedures previously unbearable, now more humane and achievable.