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JOSEPH LISTER |
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Period of History of Medicine: INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION Between 1750 and 1900, Britain was transformed by the Industrial Revolution. Towns and cities grew rapidly due to industrialisation creating public health issues, the population exploded and entrepreneurs carved out huge empires. This was a period of incredible scientific discoveries, as doctors and scientists made significant medical breakthroughs. Progress was made in the fight against disease, public health and surgery. |
Key Facts: Despite the development of anaesthetics, many surgical patients still died because of infection. Lister was a surgeon who had read Pasteur's germ theory. He suggested that patients died of infection due to germs transmitted during surgery. In 1867 he developed the carbolic spray, spraying carbolic acid into open wounds during surgery. This cut the death rate during operations by two thirds. There were many opponents to this until Koch discovered the germ causing septicaemia in 1878. Eventually this led to aseptic (or germ free) surgery by the 1890's. |
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