Talk:Diethyl ether

Criminal use in kidnappings? Is it diethyl ether professional criminals use to make victim unconscious?

128.214.78.192 (talk) 21:09, 5 May 2017 (UTC)

No. That is fictional. -- Ed (Edgar181) 12:37, 6 May 2017 (UTC)

I concur, the Agatha Christie-like Ether-on-a-rag isn't a realistic way to knock someone out. First off, it would trigger a gag reflex pretty quick in most people. The smell of Diethyl Ether is like a burning tire, very foul, and I don't even understand how people can "huff" or abuse this for some type of recreational purpose - but they do. The level required for anesthesia is much higher than a rag on the face. Valgrus Thunderaxe (talk) 13:52, 14 December 2022 (UTC)

Burning tire? I think you have smelt something else because diethyl ether has an alcohol- and mint-like very nice smell. Saint concrete (talk) 19:45, 4 March 2023 (UTC)

I'll admit I've tried this (on myself) and I came to the same conclusion as Valgrus Thunderaxe. This was technical grade Et2O but stated it contained BHT to retard oxidation and maybe that's why I perceived it as unpleasant. It wasn't anything like ethanol or mint, it was more like xylene or a "dental office" smell, if that makes any sense - and no, this wasn't some type of "petroleum ether". If you want to knock someone out quickly without blunt force the best way is probably to restrict the carotid artery with a choke hold and then drag the subject into a vehicle where you can further restrain them with privacy. 57.135.233.22 (talk) 05:46, 8 October 2023 (UTC)

You should never block blood flow to the brain to knock someome out. Never. It causes brain damage. I don't know how you would consider it a "best" way. Saint concrete (talk) 04:05, 20 October 2023 (UTC)

if it really caused brain damage it wouldn't be allowed in MMA . Lol

And if you're ever in a fight ANYTHING goes . If you're bringing suddenly attacked by someone you should DEFINITELY use it. McNuttyBunk (talk) 15:46, 29 March 2026 (UTC)

1

Is 1,1-oxybis(ethane) a correct name? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 176.88.140.181 (talk) 02:10, 1 March 2020 (UTC)

Disambiguation needed?

The opening paragraph in the current article says "or simply ether". But not so simple for uninformed readers. No mention is made of Petroleum Ether which is (IMHO) what most people will know from mentions of ether or ethyl at petrol filling stations and the the wiki page on Ether further confuses the naming. And never mind Aether too!

Perhaps a disambiguation page for ether is needed? p.r.newman (talk) 14:19, 7 November 2023 (UTC)

There is already a disambiguation page for "Ether". ⲔⲖⲞⲢⲠⲒⲔⲢⲒⲚ (talk) 02:03, 23 March 2024 (UTC)

Why is there no mention under recreational uses .......

Why is there no mention under recreational uses of ether being used with cocaine? McNuttyBunk (talk) 15:41, 29 March 2026 (UTC)

Deserves more praise

Diethyl ether was the first widely adopted inhalational anesthetic in clinical practice and played a central role in the development of modern surgery during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Early public demonstrations in the 1840s were rapidly followed by routine use in hospitals in Europe and North America, and ether soon became the standard general anesthetic in many countries.

Ether’s properties made it particularly suitable for use in austere environments. It is relatively inexpensive to produce, chemically stable at room temperature, and can be administered with simple equipment, which contributed to its extensive use in field hospitals and military medicine during large‑scale conflicts such as the First and Second World Wars.

In these settings it was often preferred over chloroform because it caused less cardiovascular depression and had a wider safety margin, despite a slower onset and more pronounced airway irritation. From the mid‑20th century onward, diethyl ether was progressively displaced in high‑income countries by newer volatile anesthetics such as halothane, isoflurane and sevoflurane, as well as by intravenous agents including thiopental and propofol.

This transition was driven mainly by ether’s marked flammability and explosive potential in operating theatres equipped with electrocautery and other ignition sources, together with the development of non‑flammable alternatives with more favorable pharmacokinetic profiles and smoother induction and recovery.

Diethyl ether has not disappeared entirely from clinical practice. It continues to be used as a general anesthetic in some low‑ and middle‑income countries and in other resource‑limited settings where cost, lack of sophisticated equipment, and unreliable supply chains make newer agents less practical. In these contexts, ether’s low price, long shelf‑life, and the possibility of administration with basic vaporizers or draw‑over systems remain important advantages, despite its drawbacks of flammability, pungency and slower recovery compared with modern agents.

Marekso (talk) 19:15, 27 May 2026 (UTC)