Roman Catholic order plans to commemorate member who performed pioneering surgery in 19th century

The Czech Brothers Hospitallers of St John of God are planning to hold a series of concerts later this year to mark the anniversary of the birth 200 years ago of one of their most noteworthy members, Celestýn Opitz. Opitz performed the first operation in which the patient was under anesthetic in Europe, at Prague’s Na Františku hospital in 1847. American surgeon William Wharton had been the first doctor in the world to use anesthetic, four months before the Czech. Announcing plans for the concert series, Vít Pospíchal of the Brothers Hospitallers of St John of God told the Czech News Agency that Opitz’s work had been of great significance not only for the order but for the whole of medical science.