Origins & Early Life

William Thomas Green Morton (August 9, 1819 – July 15, 1868) was an American dentist who first publicly demonstrated the use of inhaled ether as a surgical anesthetic in 1846. He is credited with gaining the medical world’s acceptance of surgical anesthesia. Born in Charlton, Massachusetts, William T. G.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Morton was the son of James Morton, a miner, and Rebecca (Needham) Morton. William found work as a clerk, printer, and salesman in Boston before entering Baltimore College of Dental Surgery in 1840. In 1841, he gained notoriety for developing a new process to solder false teeth onto gold plates. In 1842, he left college after graduating to study in Hartford, Connecticut with dentist Horace Wells and Dr. Nathan Cooley Keep.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In 1843, Morton married Elizabeth Whitman of Farmington, Connecticut, the niece of former Congressman Lemuel Whitman. Her parents objected to Morton's profession and agreed to the marriage only after he promised to study medicine. In the autumn of 1844, Morton entered Harvard Medical School and attended the lectures of Charles T. Jackson, who introduced Morton to the anesthetic properties of ether. Morton then left Harvard without graduating. ��2...

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