Vistit to a GASman

Author: salfordskin
Title: Vistit to a GASman
Date: 16 February 2009

A Visit to the Gasman


Ever since I had gas at the dentists I have been fascinated by gas anaesthesia, and have built up over a number of years a large collection of pictures, stories and video tapes of gas anaesthetics being administered to patients in hospital, at the dentists and other scenarios, I have also collected some old anaesthetic equipment but you already know about that. Because I thought I was alone with this fascination of such a strange subject I decided to keep it quiet as I thought if people knew they would think me perverted or something!
Whilst I was still living in the southeast of England I discovered the internet and quickly found lots of online groups and communities dedicated to like-minded enthusiasts of anaesthesia- I was no longer alone!, I quickly subscribed to these groups and online communities and soon after began chatting to other members. I was chatting to one member on a regular basis his name was John and we soon developed a strong online friendship and every time we would chat or send an email we would talk about our fantasies or tell stories of gas anaesthesia experiences. John lived not to far from me and one day I hoped it would be possible for us to get together for some roleplay – I did not expect that he had access to any of the actual gases or volatile agents.
One day I summoned the courage to ask him if it would be possible for me to visit him, John said no that would not be possible at that moment because he had someone staying with him, but he would try to arrange something else. I did not hear from John for some time and just as I was beginning to think that I was not going to hear from him again he sent me an email, explaining that he had arranged for us to go and visit his friend Peter at his house in the country. The day soon arrived and almost to the minute John arrived outside my house in his car for the drive to Peter’s house and as we started the drive, John began to tell me how they had met and what Peter did for a living- I was a little taken aback when John told me that Peter was in fact an anaesthetist with a private practice that catered for wealthy patients. John carried on to explain that Peter had built up a large collection of old text books, journals and trade catalogues and that we would have free roam of this impressive collection, we carried on chatting as John carried on driving closer towards Peter’s house and after a while I wanted to ask some more questions about Peter but John pointed out that we were almost there and that I could ask all the rest of my questions to Peter in person, and after a few moments John suddenly turned off of the main road and drove through a pair of large open cast iron gates.

I could not see the house from where we were but as John continued to drive along the long sweeping drive the house began to come into view, it appeared to be a small mansion set in it’s own surrounding grounds and as we neared the main parking area outside the front of the house I could see a small collection of expensive cars all of them new Mercedes, Jaguars or Range Rovers. John parked the car and before he had turned off the ignition the main door of the house was flung open and a medium built man in his late 40’s or early 50’s came out to greet us.
John jumped out of the car and embraced Peter as he neared the car, after a few moments Peter pulled away and turning to me thrust out his hand so that we could shake hands and as I put out my hand he pulled me close to him and embraced me also!, after a few moments we pulled apart and Peter asked us to follow him into the house.
We walked through the main door and into a stylishly appointed hallway all the furniture in the hallway was leather chairs or mahogoney tables or cabinets, we followed Peter through a pair of doors into what was obviously the library , there were more leather chairs positioned around a large table in the middle of the room and on the outside of the room all the walls were full of books sitting on bookshelves.
Peter invited us to feel free and look at the books and journals etc, he would leave us for a couple of hours whilst he arranged dinner and our rooms for us to stay overnight.
John and I dived into the books and journals as children would do in a toy or sweet shop! , I picked a series of journals dating back to the 1940’s from the states called “Journal of the American society of nurse anesthetists”, the journal featured at the front a lot of adverts about new drugs, gases or anaesthetic apparatus aload of these adverts also showed photographs of operating room scenes with the anaesthetist sitting at the head of the operating table watching over the patient who had the rubber face mask strapped over their face as they breathe the anaesthetic gases through the twin rubber hoses from the Ohio Heidbrink gas machine.
I was so engrossed in looking through the journals and their contents, that I did not notice the time going by, very soon Peter returned to say that the dinner was almost ready, John and myself reluctantly put down the books and journals that we had been looking through for the last couple of hours and followed Peter through the doors and back into the hallway and along to another set of doors that led to the dining room, we sat down at the table and for the next hour we enjoyed a very high quality four course meal.
After we finished dinner and cleared the dishes we all returned back to the library to continue looking at the books and journals for another hour or so. Peter suddenly got up out of his chair and invited us to see over the rest of his house we happily obliged
and followed him out of the room and upstairs, he showed us the rooms where we would be sleeping and told us that all rooms had en-suite bathrooms so that we could wash/shower/bathe in our own privacy. As we finished the tour upstairs Peter turned round and said that there were a few rooms downstairs that we not yet seen and looking directly at me asked if I would like to see them, I said that I would and as we neared the bottom of the stairs Peter suggested to John that he wait back in the library as he had already seen these rooms on a previous visit, John agreed and as I looked at him noticed a grin appear on his face and also Peter’s. John walked back to the library and I followed Peter along the hallway to a door opposite that of the dining room, Peter takes a key out of a pocket and unlocks the door as he opens the door my senses are immediately assaulted with the very strong overpowering smell of rubber!, as soon as I walk through the door I could see why there was such a strong smell of rubber, all along both sides of the room was the largest collection of anaesthetic gas machines I had ever known!, I could recognise Boyles machines, Dragers, Forregger , Connell and Mckesson machines from America but, I could not see any sign of an Ohio machine, possibly the most easily recognised of all the 1940 gas machines to come from the states, even still the collection was very impressive even more so because of the fact that all machines had a complete rubber breathing circuit attached complete with a rubber face mask fitted, the reservoir bag was visible fixed to the circle absorber of each machine, I could also see that each machine had a compliment of gas cylinders attached, Peter walked over to one of the machines and turning the valve on a gas cylinder proceeded to show me that not only did all the cylinders still had some gas in them but that all the machines were fully operational!
I was getting very excited about being able to get so close to these anaesthetic machines that Peter suggested that I stay in the room looking at the machines and if I wanted to play with the breathing circuits and breathe in to the mask of course I didn’t hesitate at this open invitation and as soon as I made to pick up a breathing circuit with it’s mask fitted Peter said that he would be back in a few minutes and turned around and walked back through the door and closed it behind him. I picked up one of the breathing circuits with it’s mask, and brought up the mask to my face as the rubber mask neared my face I could clearly smell the rubber of the mask, and as I breathed into the mask and breathing circuit the rebreathing bag on the cicle absorber responded to my actions by inflating and deflating with my breathing , and as I continued to breathe into the mask I suddenly wondered what it would be like if I turned on the gas as I had seen Peter do not so long ago.
I was concentrating so much on the machine and still pondering about turning on the gas, that I did not notice a door that was previously hidden open in one corner of the room and as I became aware of this happening I turned around to see John standing close by, he asked me if I was enjoying myself and replied that I was, he told me that Peter was asking for me in the other room, what room I responded and he pointed out the hidden doorway, I reluctantly put down the rubber face mask and returned the breathing circuit and returned it to it’s original position on the anaesthetic machine. I followed John through to the other room and stopped dead in my tracks!
The room that I had walked into looked and was equipped like an American operating room of the 1940’s!. In the centre of the room was an authentic operating table and above that was an original operating lamp, the floor was covered in black terrazzo tiling and the walls were all covered in bright white wall tiles, around the walls were fixed stainless steel cabinets with authentic surgical instruments of the era, I turned round in surprise at John asking me how I had enjoyed visiting his and Peter’s private museum, he went on to explain that he and Peter had over the last ten years built up this very impressive but private collection. Looking at the operating table John told me that there was one more thing for me to experience I looked at him in surprise and then John turned to one of the corners of the room I turned to look in the same direction to see Peter standing there wearing an original white cotton surgical scrub suit, complete with white cotton mask and scrub cap and on his hands he was wearing a pair of dark brown rubber surgical gloves! , Peter seeing my reaction asked realistic isn’t it ?, I replied that it was unbelievable well Peter continued that I hadn’t seen anything yet he turned around and walked out of the room only to return a few moments later pushing something with a loud metallic clanking sound, as I watched Peter bring the apparatus I suddenly realised what it was- it was an Ohio machine complete with cylinders and black rubber breathing circuit!, Peter brought the machine closer to me so that I could have a detailed look.
As I looked at this gas machine I could see the vertical flow gauges , the circle absorber with the breathing circuit complete with black rubber face mask and the ether vaporiser which appeared to contain some liquid inside, the rubber bag sat at the very bottom of the circle absorber waiting to be pushed back into life. I looked at the
gas cylinders situated on either side of the main bracket, there was oxygen, nitrous oxide and a orange cylinder that was I realised cyclopropane and a small brown cylinder that I believe was a very old gas called ethylene – this gas was not used to much because the very strong smell of the gas even after it had come out of the expiration valve from the patients breathing circuit caused everyone in close proximity to suffer major head aches. Anyway after looking at the machine Peter asked me if I would like to climb up onto the table , acting surprised I asked why and Peter replied I thought you would like to experience a proper induction! As you can imagine I didn’t have to think twice and jumped up onto the table as if my legs were springs!
As I laid down and made myself comfortable on the table John walked over and began to strap down my legs and chest and at the same time Peter began to push the Ohio gas machine around to the head of the table as my eyes followed Peter, I was asked by John to lift my head for a second I did so and I was aware of something being placed beneath my head I returned my head to lying down on the table surface, I was told by John that he had placed a rubber mask harness behind my head as I would be probably be breathing through the mask for quite a while. John told me that he would be watching from the side of the room , but only after he had got changed he turned and left the room and Peter then told me what he was going to be doing. First of all he would start with just oxygen and then after a few minutes would then begin the nitrous oxide and after a period of maybe 5 minutes he would be giving me a volatile agent in this case it would be devinyl ether or as it is more commonly known vinesthene a very popular agent from the 1940’s- it was much more acceptable to the patient as an induction agent , it did not have the properties that ether was well known for namely the very strong overpowering smell caused the patient to panic and struggle but was almost as quick in it’s action. After I had been asleep for maybe 30 minutes or so Peter told me that he would let me recover fully and then would be giving me cyclopropane and oxygen- a rapid acting gas and pleasant to inhale this gas was very popular for emergency, obstetric and chest surgery.

John had returned to the room after getting changed, and was sitting in the chair on the side of the room wearing similar scrub clothes. Peter meanwhile had been busy making sure that everything on the gas machine was working properly, at the same time as explaining to me what would be happening. Being happy that everything was as it should be with the machine Peter asked me if I was ready, I stated that I was and Peter turning to the gas machine set a flow on the oxygen gauge I could hear a faint hiss as the machine pressurised with the gas , I turned my head towards where the machine was situated and watched as Peter picked up the rubber mask and lifting it up brought the mask closer to my face, I could see the twin black rubber hoses swaying with the action and at the same time could hear the faint hiss coming through from the rubber mask, Peter then brought the rubber mask closer and closer to my face until with a final movement he clamped the mask firmly over my nose and mouth, I gasped at this sudden move and Peter sensing my reaction told me to relax and breathe normally. The smell of the rubber mask being tightly held over my face was very strong but as I breathed through the mask and breathing circuit I could hear the whistle of the gas as it entered the rubber mask through the expiration valve to which the rubber hoses were attached.
Peter had set the machine at it’s maximum height on the central weight bearing column and I could see the black rubber breathing bag inflating and deflating as I breathed through the rubber breathing circuit. I just laid there revelling in the feeling of the rubber mask on my face breathing the oxygen when after a few more breaths Peter turned to me and said that it was time to begin the nitrous oxide, but before he did we would attach the rubber mask harness, he leant over and began to attach the rubber straps of the head harness 1,2,3 and 4 the pressure of the mask didn’t change , but after the mask was harnessed firmly to my face Peter could remove his hands and concentrate on the settings of the machine, I turned my head to watch Peter set a flow of the nitrous oxide through the system and at the same time noticed the smell in the rubber mask changed to that of one being nice and sweet but I could still smell the rubber, in actual fact it seemed that the smell of the rubber was escalated with the nitrous oxide now flowing into the mask. Peter told me that he would leave me on the nitrous for the rest of the administration but it would be a good five minutes before he would start to introduce the vinesthene into the gas mixture, it would be that volatile agent which would be sending me off to a deep sleep, but, for the time being I should just lie there and enjoy the sensations that the nitrous oxide would bring I was very comfortable lying on the table even though I had been strapped down firmly to the surface of the table and was enjoying the feeling of the rubber mask strapped tightly over my face and revelling in the smell inside the mask as the nitrous oxide flowed into it, at the same time the sound of the gas hissing into the mask seemed to be getting louder it sounded to me like water flowing over a waterfall.
I could feel a sensation of pins and needles begin in my fingers and toes and as I laid there this sensation became more apparent and increased in strength, at the same time my hearing was beginning to get more acute and sound was a lot louder than it would normally be for instance the sound of my breathing in the mask was now like a roar, Peter said that he would be introducing the vinesthene soon and that I should just try to relax after a few more moments Peter said that he was beginning the vinesthene almost immediately the smell in side the mask of rubber and the sweet smell of the nitrous oxide was obliterated by a totally different smell one that was strangely familiar to me, even in my semi conscious state I could work out that the smell was very familiar to modern day petrol, after just a few breaths I could feel my head begin spinning and my vision get very blurred as I fought the gas mixture I was breathing and try to stay awake for a bit longer, but Peter obviously aware that I was very near to going completely under, increased the concentration of the volatile agent and after a few more breaths into the mask of the stronger suffocating concentration like a cloud going over the moon my eyes closed very slowly and I was out!
I have no idea how long I was under for but when I finally opened my eyes and my senses came back the first thing I noticed was that the mask was still attached with the harness but not as it would seem as tight as it was before I went under. Peter welcomed me back and said that I was breathing only oxygen and that he would keep me like that for at least 10 minutes to allow my head to clear from the nitrous and the vinesthene , I just laid there on the table breathing the oxygen through the rubber mask and could feel my head quickly clearing and the common feeling of mugginess normally associated with gas anaesthesia disappearing, after 15 minutes Peter told me that he thought that I should be Ok to get up off the table, and quickly undid the mask harness and removed the mask and returned it and the breathing circuit back to the machine. And with a helping hand by John I was assisted off of the table and invited to sit down. I did so and watched as Peter removed the breathing circuit away from the gas machine and took off the rubber mask from the expiratory chimney valve. Peter came over to me and told me that because it was so late he would be doing the second administration in the morning and that it would be a good idea if we all went to bed. I followed Peter and John out of the room and upstairs to our individual bedrooms, once inside my bed I was surprised how alert I was especially considering what I had been through the last hour or so before, but, decided to try to get some sleep anyway and after a hour or so I eventually dropped off to sleep…. I awoke to sunlight streaming through the windows in the room, I got up and walking into the en-suite bathroom ran myself a nice long shower feeling fully refreshed afterwards I put on a fresh change of clothes and made my way downstairs to the dining room I could hear Peter and John talking and as I entered the room both turned and smiled and Peter told me that he would not recommend that I eat anything because that I would be having cyclo administered to me in an hour or so and that the food in side me could cause a reaction and make me vomit possibly with disastrous consequences I agreed and asked if a small orange juice would be acceptable, Peter said it was and so that was my breakfast for that day, I asked Peter why if I could not eat this morning but I had a full gas anaesthesia after a full 4 course meal the day before and Peter replied because that it had been 5 hours after I had eaten that the anaesthesia had been given thus allowing for the safety margin to be greatly increased.


After breakfast such as it was for me! , I followed Peter and John out of the dining room and across the hall to the room that contained the private anaesthetic machine museum and through the hidden door that led to the authentic 1940’s operating room where I had received my gas anaesthesia the night before. We walked into the room and I was told to get up onto the table as I did so I could see that the rubber mask harness which Peter had used to keep the rubber mask tightly fixed over my face was still in position on the small pillow, I looked at the Ohio gas machine that was in the same place that Peter had left it last night but quickly noticed that there was no rubber breathing circuit or rubber face mask attached.
I laid down and made myself comfortable on the table surface and John came over and made sure that the back of my head was positioned in the middle of the rubber mask harness, being satisfied that it was he proceeded to strap my ankles and chest down to the table , just as he had done so the night before. Meanwhile Peter had made himself comfortable on his stool and was making preparations to the machine, I looked at what was happening and saw Peter attaching a new black rubber breathing circuit to the outlets on the circle absorber and after that he fixed a new rubber mask to the expiratory chimney valve, I tried to look at this mask more closely as it was nothing like the one that had been used on me the night before, Peter saw me and told me that the mask was one that had a pneumatic seal, that didn’t mean anything to me and so Peter showed me the inside of the mask. I could see that the mask had an outside rubber flange that ensured an airtight seal over part of the cheeks and under the chin as well, the main part of the mask that usually made contact with the surface of the face was approx half way in to the depths of the mask.
Making sure that there was no possible risk of leak from the system, Peter asked me if I was ready and I said that I was and so he opened the valve of the orange cylinder and then set a flow of gas on one of the vertical gauges this was for the cyclopropane and straight after opened the valve on the oxygen cylinder and then set a flow on the oxygen gauge, Peter then picked up the breathing circuit and mask and got ready to bring the mask up to my face but before he did he made sure that the breathing bag was fully inflated when he saw that it was he brought the mask closer to my face and before the mask touched my face and sealed it self firmly over my cheeks, chin and face I could already smell the strong rubber of the mask and breathing circuit. As it came into contact the mask seemed to envelop all my features and though it was a very tight fit it was also very comfortable and after satisfying himself that the mask was fitted properly Peter began to strap the mask into place, not quite as tight as it had been the night before because the pneumatic seal on the mask gave a closer fit by itself , after the 4 straps had been fixed Peter opened the valve of the chimney and my mask was flooded with the musty smell of the cyclopropane as it entered the mask I could still smell the rubber but the musty smell was very soon obscuring everything else, after what must have been only a few breaths a relaxing warmth began to spread through my body and I could feel myself begin to come very pleasantly light-headed just as if I had had a few too many beers.
As the gas was beginning to work I was quickly becoming increasingly tired and after trying to keep my eyes open for a little time longer my eyes were getting heavier, I quickly felt my eyes dropping and with a sudden flood of darkness I succumbed to the rapidity of the cyclopropane gas. When I came round the mask was still in place though I could not feel the harness being in place and Peter told me that I was on oxygen for the next 10 minutes, I continued to lay there on the table breathing the oxygen and after the 10 minutes had elapsed Peter leant forward and checking that everything was Ok removed the mask and returning it and the rubber breathing circuit back into position on the gas machine shut down the oxygen flow and turned off the cylinder. Peter and John both helped me get down from the table and helped me to a seat and after sitting on the chair for a few moments I felt fit enough to get up we walked out of the operating room and I could hear Peter closing the door and locking it behind him he told me until next time.
After I had fully recovered from the residual effects of the gas we all sat down at the dining table for another large meal, and having finished our meal we returned to the library and after another hour or so it was time for us to leave, John and myself gathered up our things and after our farewell embraces with Peter we climbed into John’s car and started off on our drive home again. As we drove through the open cast iron gates and onto the main road I turned to John and remarked that I would very much like to visit Peter again, John looked at me and said that he and Peter had hoped I would say that and that arrangements for a return and possibly more interesting visit was already being planned.