Samuel Guthrie (United States physician)
Encyclopedia
Samuel Guthrie was an American physician
from Hounsfield
, New York
. He invented a form of percussion powder and also the punch lock for igniting it, which made the flintlock musket obsolete. He discovered chloroform
independently in 1831.
Samuel Guthrie was a 19th century physician and chemist
who discovered the anaesthetic chloroform (tri-chloromethane) in 1831, by distilling chloride of lime with alcohol in a copper barrel, using it as a mild anesthetic in amputation
surgeries. The same chemical compound was discovered independently by a French scientist, Eugène Soubeiran
, in October 1831, and by the German chemist Justus Liebig in November 1831, but Guthrie wrote of his findings in the summer of the same year, so he is generally acknowledged as the discoverer.
At the age of 22, Samuel Guthrie Jr. married Sybil Sexton, who was originally from Connecticut
. They traveled by way of horse and buggy to the nearby village of Smyrna to be married.
During the winter of 1810–1811, Guthrie studied at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York
(which is now Columbia University
.) In January 1815, he listened to lectures at the University of Pennsylvania
. These courses constituted his entire formal education.
In 1817, Samuel Guthrie Jr. moved to Sackets Harbor, New York, Jefferson County
, in northern New York where he opened up practice as a rural doctor.
In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Guthrie was a successful businessman, best known in his time for manufacturing chloric ether, vinegar
, and priming powder for firearms which made flintlock muskets obsolete. He also invented a process for converting potato starch
into molasses
and he distilled an alcohol that was reputed to be of unequaled quality in the Jefferson County.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
from Hounsfield
Hounsfield, New York
Hounsfield is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 3,466 at the 2010 census. The name of the town is from Ezra Hounsfield, a land agent and land owner....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He invented a form of percussion powder and also the punch lock for igniting it, which made the flintlock musket obsolete. He discovered chloroform
Chloroform
Chloroform is an organic compound with formula CHCl3. It is one of the four chloromethanes. The colorless, sweet-smelling, dense liquid is a trihalomethane, and is considered somewhat hazardous...
independently in 1831.
Samuel Guthrie was a 19th century physician and chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
who discovered the anaesthetic chloroform (tri-chloromethane) in 1831, by distilling chloride of lime with alcohol in a copper barrel, using it as a mild anesthetic in amputation
Amputation
Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma, prolonged constriction, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on individuals as a preventative surgery for...
surgeries. The same chemical compound was discovered independently by a French scientist, Eugène Soubeiran
Eugène Soubeiran
Eugène Soubeiran was a French scientist who served as chief pharmacist at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital. He was one of three researchers who discovered chloroform independently of one another...
, in October 1831, and by the German chemist Justus Liebig in November 1831, but Guthrie wrote of his findings in the summer of the same year, so he is generally acknowledged as the discoverer.
At the age of 22, Samuel Guthrie Jr. married Sybil Sexton, who was originally from Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. They traveled by way of horse and buggy to the nearby village of Smyrna to be married.
During the winter of 1810–1811, Guthrie studied at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, often known as P&S, is a graduate school of Columbia University that is located on the health sciences campus in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan...
(which is now Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.) In January 1815, he listened to lectures at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. These courses constituted his entire formal education.
In 1817, Samuel Guthrie Jr. moved to Sackets Harbor, New York, Jefferson County
Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...
, in northern New York where he opened up practice as a rural doctor.
In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Guthrie was a successful businessman, best known in his time for manufacturing chloric ether, vinegar
Vinegar
Vinegar is a liquid substance consisting mainly of acetic acid and water, the acetic acid being produced through the fermentation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria. Commercial vinegar is produced either by fast or slow fermentation processes. Slow methods generally are used with traditional...
, and priming powder for firearms which made flintlock muskets obsolete. He also invented a process for converting potato starch
Potato starch
Potato starch is starch extracted from potatoes. The cells of the root tubers of the potato plant contain starch grains . To extract the starch, the potatoes are crushed; the starch grains are released from the destroyed cells...
into molasses
Molasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
and he distilled an alcohol that was reputed to be of unequaled quality in the Jefferson County.