“Give me somethin’ for the pain, Doc…” How many times have you heard this in a Western movie?

If you were to rate the knowledge about painkillers in the 1800s in North America, which one would you say:

1. Doctors knew very little. Most of the time, they just gave whisky.
2. They knew enough to help some people. Mostly with unknown herbs.
3. They used the major painkiller that is still the major painkiller we use in hospitals today.