默顿是一位牙医,在1846年,他发现醚可以用来做麻醉剂,减少病人拔牙的痛苦。这个发现轰动一时。另外有一个科学家杰克逊,虽然不知道默顿用的是什么药,但曾经给过默顿一些建议,借过一些工具给他,当听说了默顿的发现后,就去领功。两人于是前往注册,取得发明专利。 可是,醚是很容易取得的药物,要保护这项专利十分困难,默顿和杰克逊就经常因为收不到钱而争执。后来,美国法 Merton was a dentist and in 1846 he discovered that ether could be used as an anesthetic to reduce the pain of a patient’s tooth extraction. This discovery made a big splash. In addition, a scientist, Jackson, who did not know what drug Merton used, had given Merton some advice and provided him with some tools. Upon hearing of Merton’s discovery, he went on to gain strength. The two then go to register and obtain the invention patent. Ether, however, is a readily available drug. To protect the patent is very difficult, and Merton and Jackson often dispute because they do not receive the money. Later, the American law