I was not trying to say anaesthetics are actually the cure, it’s an example of the kind of elimination that has to be done to prove something is actually effective.

Look up how double blind tests are done on things that involve surgeries (eg implants)

And of the ones that are, the family wouldn't notice the dramatic cognitive improvement shown in this article, but they noticed it here?

Because they’re primed to look for that improvement because they’re told that is the expected outcome