It’s Ether Day!
By Office of the President | Oct 21, 2025
Dr. Adolph Frederick Erdmann (1867-1953) founded the Long Island Society of Anesthetists in 1905, the first professional anesthesia society in the United States.
On October 16, 1846, a Boston surgeon placed an ether-soaked cloth over a patient’s face—and modern surgery began. Each year, World Anesthesia Day, also known as Ether Day, commemorates that moment. At Downstate, the anniversary holds special significance: our predecessor, Long Island College Hospital (LICH), played a pivotal role in establishing anesthesiology as a distinct medical discipline in the United States.
This year’s Ether Day also marks the 120th anniversary of the Long Island Society of Anesthetists, founded at LICH on October 16, 1905.
LICH was the first U.S. hospital to integrate bedside teaching with classroom instruction—an innovation that revolutionized medical education. It quickly adopted surgical anesthesia, using ether and chloroform, soon after their introduction. In 1905, LICH anesthetist Adolph F. Erdmann and eight colleagues formed the Long Island Society of Anesthetists (LISA), meeting on Ether Day in the Polhemus Building. LISA, only the world’s second anesthesia society, later evolved into the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA).
By 1914, LICH had launched one of the nation’s first formal anesthesia training programs. When the hospital joined The State University of New York in the late 1940s, that legacy continued at Downstate, whose Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine became known for its clinical excellence and academic leadership.
A defining era began in 1980 under the leadership of James E. Cottrell, M.D., who chaired the department for nearly four decades and now serves as Chair Emeritus. A pioneer in neuro-anesthesiology, Dr. Cottrell authored influential textbooks that shaped anesthesia training worldwide and elevated the reputation of Downstate.
Under the leadership of Dennis Dimaculangan, M.D., Interim Chair, and David Wlody, M.D., Residency Program Director, Downstate continues to maintain this tradition. The department leads one of the nation’s most diverse and respected anesthesiology residency programs, training at University Hospital at Downstate, Kings County Hospital Center, and other affiliates. Residents gain broad clinical experience and pursue subspecialty and research fellowships under the guidance of strong faculty mentors.
Research remains at the heart of the department’s mission. Faculty and residents collaborate on studies exploring how anesthetics affect brain development, neuroprotection, and memory, including work with Todd Sacktor, M.D., Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology. Other projects focus on maternal health, inflammation, perioperative care, pain management, and critical care medicine.
From 19th-century ether experiments to modern perioperative science, our Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine continues to embody the spirit of Ether Day, advancing discovery, educating future physicians, and ensuring safe, compassionate care.
Dr. Wlody recently presented this legacy at the national meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, highlighting Downstate’s ongoing impact. For a deeper look at the origins of the Long Island Society of Anesthetists, see Remembering Our Roots by Dr. Wlody and Kathleen Powderly, Ph.D., CNM, late director of the Division of Humanities in Medicine.