Anesthesiology and the U.S. military share nearly 200 years of history. William Thomas Green Morton made the first public demonstration of anesthesia on a surgical patient on Oct. 16, 1846; the following spring, Edward H. Barton, a surgeon with the U.S. Army stationed in Vera Cruz during the Mexican War, successfully anesthetized a patient who required amputation of both legs. By the end of 1862, the U.S. Army had directed that each of its division hospitals appoint an assistant surgeon in charge of anesthesia.

Since then, physician and nurse anesthetists have served in the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines. This Veterans Day, we honor those members of our Department who have served or are currently serving in the U.S. military.