The Tragic Story of Horace Wells

Horace Wells (1815-1848) studied dentistry in Boston prior to establishing his practice in Hartford in 1836. Eight years later he attended a nitrous oxide exhibition and noticed that a participant had cut his leg, but feeling no pain, was unaware of it. He immediately grasped the implications of his observation and was determined to explore the possibilities of nitrous oxide.

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Horace Wells Monument

Charles T. Wells arranged to have a monument erected at Cedar Hill Cemetery in honor of his father, Horace Wells, in 1909. Horace, the discoverer of anesthesia, and his wife Elizabeth were originally buried in Hartford’s Old North Cemetery and were moved here in 1908.

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