Painkillers in the early 1900s?

So I have been doing some research for a short story I'm writing for fun and it's set in 1910-20 Europe and I need to know what was used for painkillers for surgery and such. I do know that opioids and cocaine were used somewhat commonly. Then, brilliant doctors thought that heroin was a better choice. But when was this switch? Also, what was used after chloroform to put people under? I know it was phased out in the UK way before the US that continued to use it despite the risks.

 

Wasn't ether a commonly used anesthetic for operations?

 

Yes, it was. But from what I understand Ether was very explosive. I think it might have still been used, but I don't know if it came before or after cholorform.

 

Laudanum - used widely from the 18th century into the early 20th century.

 

THANK YOU! I will look into this/

 

Laudanum was a tincture of opium, the Victorian era's most popular medicine

 

Exactly.

 

Perhaps this link will help. Contains a section on surgery in early 20th century.

https://www.britannica.com/science/history-of-medicine