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Hua Tuo
(c. 110 - c. 207 )

picture of Chinese physician Hua Tuo

In second century China, physician Hua Tuo (also Hwa Tuo) reputedly performed surgery under general anaesthesia using "foamy narcotic powder". Unfortunately, details are sketchy. Chinese medical writings do not specify the constituents of the effervescent powder Hua employed - variously speculated as hemp boiled with wine; datura or rhododendron flower; aconite or jasmine root; or some cocktail thereof.

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