What was William Halstead the first
doctor to do during surgery ?

Tried using cocaine as an anesthetic (injected himself, and became addicted).

http://www.sobriety.5u.com/cocaine.html

My sources give another answer for which
he is definitely the first !!!

He was also the first to introduce rubber gloves in surgery....(perhaps to cover up his use of cocaine?).....

"The great American surgeon, William Halstead was in love with his chief surgical nurse, Caroline Hampton. She, however, had sensitive hands. Halstead asked the Goodyear Rubber Company to manufacture gloves of thin rubber for her. This helped her hands - and also happened to decrease the incidence of postoperative infections. A new chapter in surgery was opened. (And, on June 4, 1890, Caroline Hampton married William Halstead.)"

http://www.drgreene.com/21_269.html

That's the one I was lookin' for !

Thanks for the answer Sailracer !