Who is considered the mother of anesthesia and why?

• A. Alice Magaw — performed over 14,000 anesthetics in the Mayo Clinic
• B. Mary Alice Costello
• C. Helen Lamb
• D. Sister Mary Bernard

Answer: (A)

Alice Magaw is considered the mother of anesthesia because her work at the Mayo Clinic helped establish modern, safer anesthesia practice through enormous practice, meticulous record-keeping, and hands-on training. She administered and supervised more than 14,000 anesthetics, documenting details about each case—the drugs used, the patient’s responses, and outcomes. This thorough documentation, combined with her role in teaching residents and nurses the techniques of anesthesia, helped standardize procedures and elevate anesthesia to a recognized professional field. The other names are notable in their own contexts, but the widespread attribution of this title goes to Magaw for the scale of her practice and her foundational role in professionalizing anesthesia.