history

surgery, lister

• 1865, lister tested a carbolic soaked bandage on a child with a badly broken leg, it healed cleanly within 6 weeks

problems with carbolic acid

• was corrosive

• would cause damage to surgeons hands

• would slow down operations and could lead to death by blood loss

• some surgeons dislikes that stopping infection was there responsibility

William halstead

• started using the Goodyear rubber company to make gloves after one of his nurses had an allergic reaction to the carbolic spray, led to development of latex gloves

lister medal

• become the highest honour for a British surgeon

koch

• 1878, koch released most bacteria most spread by contact, not air, said all surfaces should be germ free

chamberlain

• 1881

• Charles Chamberlain, invented a steam steriliser for medical instruments

lister, extra

• made a baron in 1897

• funeral in 1912 held at Westminster abbey

• catgut could be sterilised with carbolic acid whereas silk couldn’t

key hole surgery

• using small fibre optic cameras, radiation therapy treats cancer, lasers used rather than a scalpel for precise cuttings