WELLS, HORACE (1815-1848), American dental surgeon, was born at Hartford, Vt., Jan. 21, 1815. He studied dentistry in Boston, 1834, and began practice in Hartford, Conn. In 1840 he first expressed the idea that teeth might be extracted painlessly by the application of nitrous oxide gas. He tested the efficacy of the gas in this operation on his own person in 1844 and afterwards frequently used it in his practice. He was long thought to have
been the first to use an anaesthetic in any operation, and, though it is now known that he was preceded by Dr. Crawford Long (q.v.), he deserves the credit of an independent discovery, which through him was first brought to the world's attention. He died in New York city Jan. 24, 1848.