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1067288 
Journal Article 
Review 
Nitrous or nitric? Same difference. Molecular formulas in the 1840s 
Alston, TA 
2007 
Yes 
Journal of Clinical Anesthesia
ISSN: 0952-8180 
19 
2 
159-161 
English 
17379133 
WOS:000245609000018 
The molecular formulas given by James Y. Simpson for nitrous oxide, diethyl ether, and chloroform are difficult to interpret today. The organic formulas are "incorrect" today because Jean Dumas (the influential chemist who was one of the discoverers of chloroform) used John Dalton's presumption of molecular simplicity. That is, water was long presumed to be HO. The nitrous oxide formula was incorrect owing to confusion with Dalton's nitrous gas, now termed nitric oxide. The Simpson formulas illustrate that inhaled anesthesia arrived at the time of a cusp in the history of chemistry. 
chloroform; J Dalton; JBA Dumas; nitrous oxide; JY Simpson 
• Chloroform Combined (current)
     Chloroform (original)
          References: 2000-2018
               PubMed