Abstract

Unlike many other subspecialties, most anesthesiologists can tell you when our specialty began: October 16, 1846, when the first ether anesthetic was delivered by Dr. William Morton in what is now affectionately called the “Ether Dome” of the Massachusetts General Hospital. From that day and certainly over the past 100 years, the field of anesthesia has continued to grow and florish. The growth has been both scientific and philosophical, the latter being exemplified by the change in name from Departments of Anesthesiology to Departments of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine in many academic institutions. Perioperative medicine has been viewed as involving the preoperative preparation of patients, intraoperative care, and postoperative management in the areas of ICU care and pain management. The interest and involvement of anesthesiologists outside of the operating room has led many departments to play a significant role in critical care and pain management. The scientific development of anesthesia over the past century has involved pharmacology, technology, and the science of our specialty with in-depth investigations into the mechanisms of action of anesthetic agents, quality improvement, and patient outcomes. The latter areas have provided us with valuable information as to how better to care for our patients and limit perioperative morbidity and mortality.