On this day

September 30 in History

What happened on September 30 in history? This is the story Historai has told for this date. Listen, or read the transcript and sources.

← September 29View the calendarOctober 1 →

September 30, 1846

The Night the Tooth Came Out Painlessly

William Morton's first painless tooth extraction on September 30, 1846

A terrified music teacher walked into a Boston dentist's office begging to be hypnotized, and left having felt nothing at all. What happened in that chair changed surgery forever — and quietly destroyed almost everyone who claimed the credit.

13 views · 0 Likes · 10 min

More history, by date and by topic

Browse every date in the Today in History calendar, or explore history podcasts by topic. Curious about something else? Create your own history podcast from any question.

Episodes are generated. Use the sources linked in each episode to check important claims.