Nitrous oxide has been used for anaesthesia in dentistry since December 1844, where Horace Wells made the first 12–15 dental operations with the gas in Hartford. Its debut as a generally accepted method, however, came in 1863, when Gardner Quincy Colton introduced it more broadly at all the Colton Dental Association clinics, that he founded in New Haven and New York City. Hospitals administer nitrous oxide as one of the anaesthetic drugs delivered by anaesthetic machines. Nitrous oxide is a weak general anaesthetic, and so is generally not used alone in general anaesthesia. In general anaesthesia it is used as a carrier gas with oxygen for more powerful general anaesthetic drugs.Medium size empty blue coloured cylinder with rounded base and painted white neck once containing Nitrous Oxide. A large blue on white diamond shaped label is adhered onto the main cylinder body.Printed on manufacturer's label: 'CIG [logo] / [blank weights table] / DRY / NITROUS OXIDE / C.I.G. (Victoria) PTY. LTD. / 50 LA TROBE STREET, MELBOURNE C3 / Telephones: FJ 6681 / FJ 4164 / USE NO OIL / OR GREASE'nitrous oxide, dental anaesthesia, dental anesthesia, gardner quincy colton, colton dental association

The De Ford Inhaler was introduced in 1913 and was designed to allow anaesthesia to continue through the nose while dental surgery was happening.This inhaler is composed of metal and rubber. The oral mask and rubber covered nasal mask are connected to a curved rubber covered support that was placed on the patient's forehead to hold the inhaler in place. The gas was administered via a long tube; the terminus designed to allow for the placement of a vial containing the anaesthetic drug and a rebreather bag mount. Inscribed on the back of the mouth inhaler: 'Dr De Ford's Universal Inhaler for Somniform Nitrous Oxide etc. E. De Trey & Sons Phila. PA U.S. Pat. Pending.'anesthesia, dentistry, somniform, surgery, medical instrument, de ford, 1913, e de trey and sons, vial, rebreathr bag mount, inhaler