Joseph Lister introduced antiseptic surgical technique, applying Louis Pasteur's germ theory to wound care using carbolic acid (phenol) to kill microorganisms in surgical wounds, dressings and instruments. His 1867 paper in The Lancet, On the Antiseptic Principle in the Practice of Surgery, reported sharply reduced mortality from wound infection and sepsis on his surgical wards at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, and his methods spread internationally within a generation, transforming surgery from a frequently fatal last resort into a survivable procedure.
Facts
Connections
Discoveries
Lister is credited with introducing antisepsis as a systematic surgical practice; antecedent, less systematic uses of disinfectant agents by other practitioners are not disputed as a rival claim to his own.
Source The Greatest Benefit to Mankind: A Medical History of HumanityRoy Porter
Source Wikipedia: Joseph Lister
Sources
1. The Greatest Benefit to Mankind: A Medical History of Humanity
Roy Porter, W. W. Norton and Company, 1997
Wikipedia: Joseph Lister
Essays About This Entity (1 essay)
Four Bacterial Discoveries, Four Fights Over Who Gets Credit
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Joseph Lister change about surgery?
He introduced antiseptic technique using carbolic acid, sharply reducing deaths from wound infection.
Joseph Lister introduced antiseptic surgical technique. He applied Louis Pasteur's germ theory to wound care, using carbolic acid (phenol) to kill microorganisms in surgical wounds, dressings and instruments. His 1867 paper in The Lancet, On the Antiseptic Principle in the Practice of Surgery, reported sharply reduced mortality from wound infection and sepsis on his wards at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. His methods spread internationally within a generation, transforming surgery from a frequently fatal last resort into a survivable procedure.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.