Ether was safe, easy to use, and remained the standard general anesthetic until the 1960s when the fluorinated hydrocarbons (halothane, enflurane, isofluorane and sevoflurane) came into common use.

Why was ether discontinued?

Usage of ether and chloroform later declined after the development of safer, more effective inhalation anesthetics, and they are no longer used in surgery today. Chloroform in particular came under attack in the 20th century, and was shown to be carcinogenic by ingestion in laboratory mice and rats.

What replaced ether as an anesthetic?

Chloroform began to replace ether as an anesthetic in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century.