Antiseptics

Who are key individuals to develop antiseptics?

Joseph Lister

What did Lister develop?

He experimented using carbolic acid to soak bandages before applying to a wound, which is an example of an antiseptic

What is an antiseptic?

The discouragement of the growth of microorganisms

What does aseptic mean?

The absence of microorganisms

What did carbolic acid do?

Prevent infection and helped wounds to heal - he developed this after seeing carbolic acid being used to treat sewage

How was carbolic acid used?

Soaking bandages before being applied to a wound, as a spray around the room to limit infection as it helped to prevent gangrene to develop

How effective was carbolic acid?

Very, as it reduced mortality rates from 40% to 15%!

Who opposed carbolic acid?

Some doctors found that it irritated their eyes and hands (where they were handling it) - this made it harder to carry out the surgical procedure. When instruments were soaked in the acid, they were harder to hold as they were slippery, and some surgeons found that the spraying machine interrupted their concentration and got in the way

How were these concerns resolved?

It was encouraged that surgeons wore rubber gloves to protect their hands from the carbolic acid (which had the added benefit of making surgery cleaner and safer)

What was the aim of aseptic surgery?

Sterilising equipment and hands so that there were no germs to cause infection, which would allow no carbolic acid to be used