September 17, 1999

Thousands of visitors each year pass through the doors of the MGH Ether Dome to gaze upon the room where one of the most monumental moments in medical history took place – the first successful public demonstration of the use of ether to produce anesthesia for surgery. As they look around the sunlit room, visitors must rely on their imaginations to visualize the famous surgery that was performed in 1846 by John Collins Warren, MD.

Soon visitors’ imaginations will have the assistance of a full-scale mural, commemorating that significant moment, painted on the walls of the Ether Dome. The project is the brainchild of members of the Ether Dome renovation committee, which coordinated the dome’s 1996 facelift. Because there are no historically accurate depictions of the first demonstration of ether, the committee decided that a mural would be the best way to commemorate this momentous event. The MGH chiefs of service and physicians throughout the hospital have taken on the project and commissioned a local artist to undertake this monumental task.

"Clearly the whole story of the first demonstration of ether is a great event in our history and in the history of medicine," says Andrew Warshaw, MD, chief of MGH Surgery, who is leading the physicians’ effort along with Warren Zapol, MD, chief of Anesthesia and Critical Care. "This mural will be a gift from the physicians to the MGH in recognition of our feelings of appreciation to the hospital. It is our way of thanking the MGH."

Warren Prosperi, a Boston artist, has been commissioned to paint the mural on-site – a task that will require months of preparation and coordination. Prosperi has painted portraits of many MGH physicians, including John Stoeckle, MD, Thomas Hackett, MD, Paul Russell, MD, and John Burke, MD. "Another exciting aspect is that the artist will paint on site, so essentially it will be like watching Michelangelo create the Sistine chapel," says Warshaw. "We’ll be a live audience."

The goal of the project is to complete the mural in time for the Ether Day celebration in October 2001.

"This dramatic demonstration was the most significant event for surgery in the 19th century," says Zapol. "It established our field of medical practice, and it took place here at the MGH. It is a demonstration of the inventiveness, courage and excellence that characterizes medical care at the MGH."

According to Ann Prestipino, MGH clinical vice president, physicians have already begun making contributions to the cost of the mural. "We are very grateful to the physicians who have made contributions to this wonderful gift so far," she says.

Donations to the new mural can be made through the MGH Development Office by calling Kelley Herlihy at 4-6087.

In this early photo showing a surgical patient under ether, John C. Warren, MD, stands with his hands on that patient. The composition of the Ether Dome mural is still to be determined. Hotline will continue to cover its progress.

Please see "Medicine's greatest gift," in this issue of Hotline.