[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 151 (Thursday, November 18, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1979]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         IN RECOGNITION OF THE HORACE WELLS CLUB OF CONNECTICUT

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                          HON. JOHN B. LARSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 18, 2010

  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the 
Horace Wells Club of Connecticut. For over 100 years, this organization 
has been dedicated to promoting the field of anesthesiology. This 
remarkable breakthrough in the field of medicine and dentistry has 
dramatically improved the comfort of patients during surgery and 
transformed once painful experiences into routine procedures.
  The Horace Wells Club of Connecticut was founded in 1894 by a group 
of dedicated dentists on the 50th anniversary of the discovery of 
anesthesia. Since then, they have held an annual dinner and given out 
the Horace Wells Anesthesia Award to an individual who has contributed 
to the advancement of the field of anesthesiology. The event has been 
held at the historic Harford Club for the last 75 years. This year's 
event will be held on December 11th, exactly 166 years to the date of 
anesthesia's discovery.
  The Horace Wells Club of Connecticut is named after the Hartford 
dentist who discovered that nitrous oxide could be used as anesthesia. 
Horace Wells pioneered this medical advancement by first experimenting 
on himself during a tooth extraction. After his own successful use of 
anesthesia, he worked tirelessly to spread and advance this technology 
to improve the lives of people everywhere. He is famously quoted as 
wanting to see anesthesia become ``as free as the air we breathe.'' 
Horace Wells has been recognized multiple times by the American Dental 
Association and the American Medical Association. Additionally, the 
State of Connecticut and the City of Hartford commissioned a bronze 
statue in 1874, which sits at Bushnell Park in Hartford, CT to this 
day.
  Anesthesia's abundant availability has contributed greatly to the 
relief of pain and suffering and Horace Wells was instrumental in this 
important medical breakthrough. I commend the Horace Wells Club of 
Connecticut for honoring his contribution to medicine and wish that 
they have a successful gala on December 11th.

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