Treatments
Antisepsis
Also Known As Antiseptic Method
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Antisepsis is the practice of destroying or inhibiting disease-causing microorganisms on skin, wounds and surgical instruments to prevent infection. Joseph Lister introduced it into surgical practice in 1867, applying Louis Pasteur's germ theory through carbolic acid (phenol) sprays, dressings, and hand and instrument washing, reporting a sharp fall in wound mortality on his Glasgow surgical wards. The practice was resisted by surgeons who saw no visible cause for infection, and its general adoption across Europe and North America took roughly two decades.
Facts
Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
The 1867 discovery event behind the atlas's Antisepsis treatment entity.
Discovered By
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.
Treats
Antisepsis prevents bacterial infection of wounds and surgical sites rather than treating an infection already established. Joseph Lister's 1867 antiseptic method, using carbolic acid, dramatically reduced post-surgical infection and mortality.
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