The article discusses the importance of surgical speed during a time when anesthesia was not widely used. It explores the quest for anesthetics throughout history, including the early use of substances like alcohol, cannabis, opium, and mandrake, and the eventual development of nitrous oxide, ether, and chloroform. The article also highlights the discrimination in anesthesia administration and the evolution of anesthetics, leading to safer and more effective options for patients undergoing surgery.