What was Crile's stance on intern-as-anesthetist model?

• A. He fully supported it as the best model.
• B. He had no opinion on it.
• C. He did not favor it due to patient safety issues.
• D. He advocated only for physician anesthetists with full clinical control.

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is about who should administer anesthesia and how safety is maintained during surgery. Crile viewed anesthesia as a critical, high-stakes part of the operation that requires specialized knowledge, continuous monitoring, and immediate, expert intervention if problems arise.

He believed that interns—still in training and gaining experience—lacked the necessary depth in airway management, pharmacology, and recognition of evolving crises to safely serve as anesthesia providers. The risks in anesthesia include airway obstruction, respiratory or cardiovascular instability, and adverse drug reactions, all of which demand swift, competent judgment. Because of these safety concerns, Crile did not support the intern-as-anesthetist model.

In this light, the stance aligns with prioritizing patient safety by ensuring anesthesia is managed by physicians with appropriate training and authority to intervene as needed, rather than delegating it to interns.