On the Antiseptic Principle of the Practice of Surgery
Joseph Lister
Read by Martin Clifton
Joseph Lister was born near London in 1827. He studied medicine at the University of London and pursued a career as a surgeon in Scotland. He became professor of Surgery in Glasgow and later (1877) at Kings College Hospital, in London.
Lister’s contribution to the advancement of surgery cannot be overestimated. Before his work on antisepsis, wounds were often left open to heal, leading to long recoveries, unsightly scarring, and not infrequently amputation or death due to infection. Lister’s work enabled more wounds to be closed primarily with sutures, drastically reducing healing time, scarring, amputations, and deaths due to infection.
Lister retired in 1896 but was called back to assist in the operation on King Edward VII for appendicitis just days before the King’s coronation. The King later credited Lister for his survival and quick recovery. Lister died in 1912.
(Summary by Martin Clifton) (0 hr 31 min)
Chapters
| On the Antiseptic Principle of the Practice of Surgery | 31:32 | Read by Martin Clifton |
Reviews
Brief and fascinating
MJ
Very interesting to one who loves the science of medicine, but others may find it a bit dry. Lister undoubtedly saved millions of lives with his anti-septic method/concoction. Well-read.
fascinating
philsomething
it's startling to remember that as recently as a hundred fifty years ago people had no idea that you should keep a wound clean in order to help it heal
good book well read
thiagovscoelho
good book well read. he saw a problem and he found the solution, of carbolic acid in twenty parts of water