Simpson
Important in Medicine because…
James Simpson was a very young doctor at Edinburgh, and the youngest professor of Midwifery ever. He was self-experimenting with his friends a range of mixed drugs.
They discovered chloroform by accident. Realising its anaesthetic properties, and a lack of any side effects he immediately used in the delivery of babies with great success. Ether, which has always been dangerous was still popular however.
It wasn’t until Queen Victoria led the way receiving chloroform for the delivery of her thirteenth child that attitudes began to change.