Joseph Lister

Joseph Lister, born in England in 1827, is often called the father of modern surgery for his transformative impact on how surgeons thought about infection. At a time when surgery was extremely risky and most patients died from resultant infections, Lister proposed a new enemy: germs. This idea revolutionized how healthcare workers approached wounds, infections, and surgery in general, kickstarting sterilization and better quality of care. 

Lister was heavily inspired by the work of Louis Pasteur, who had discovered that microorganisms cause food and drink to spoil. However, Lister took it one step further by asking if these same tiny organisms could be responsible for the infections that patients suffered from post-surgery. Surgeons back then cared very little about hygiene, often neglecting to wash their hands or equipment ahead of time. They extravagantly wore coats of blood as a badge of honor and performed surgery with rooms of audiences. Infection was considered a part of the healing process.

Lister rejected this notion. He began experimenting with carbolic acid, a chemical used to clean sewage, surgical instruments, wounds, and even the air in operating rooms. In 1865, he used carbolic acid to treat a boy with a compound fracture, an open injury where a broken bone pierces the skin. Unlike many previous cases, the boy’s wound healed without infection. Seeing this success, Lister continued using this method and saw a drastic drop in post-surgical death rates. 

Despite the groundbreaking results, many doctors were skeptical of Lister’s techniques. It was incredulous that something they couldn’t see, like germs, could cause such serious harm. Lister, however, continued to preach his work. He gave lectures and published numerous papers to explain and support his findings. Eventually, more surgeons began to adopt his antiseptic methods, and infection rates dropped dramatically across Europe and America. 

Lister’s emphasis on cleanliness transformed medicine, laying the foundation for sterile surgery. Today, the utmost hygiene is prioritized in surgery, including the use of protective equipment such as gloves, masks, and extreme control in the operating room. Lister’s work significantly increased the sustainability and safety of surgery for patients who need it.

Written by Saket Parayil at Incisionary

APA References

Isaac, S. (2017, October 6). Lord Joseph Lister of Lyme Regis (1827-1912): the father of modern surgery. Royal College of Surgeons. https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/library-and-publications/library/blog/lord-lister-of-lyme-regis/