In the 1940s, however, doctors fell under the misapprehension that curare was a general anesthetic, and they administered it as such for major surgery. The patients were, of course, quiet under the knife, and made not the slightest frown, twitch or moan, but when the effects of the curare wore off, complained bitterly of having been completely conscious and in excruciating pain, feeling every scalpel stroke but simply paralyzed and unable to convey their distress. The doctors did not believe them.

[ FOOTNOTE: The fact that most of the patients were infants and small children may explain this credibility gap. ]