On October 26th 1877 the first antiseptic operation was performed.
10/26/2010 at 9:19 AM
In 1867 Joseph Lister applied Louis Pasteur’s scientific proof of the germ theory of disease to medicine and surgery.
He recognised the role that harmful bacteria in wounds, and the necessity for keeping them out. He called for the sterilization of the Doctor, the Nurse, the Patient, the room, and everything in it.
On October 26 1877, Lister, for the first time, carried out an operation under antiseptic conditions.
News of the operation was widely publicized arousing much opposition. Its success was instrumental in forcing surgical opinion throughout the world to accept that his method's greatly added to the safety of operative surgery.
Prior to Lister's discovery, Doctors had thought that the ‘Pus’ that collected on wounds had a healing effect.
When the Lister Spray was used at the Brandon General Hospital everyone present was thoroughly dampened during the operation.
Usually the Staff wore Mackintoshes (Raincoats), and Rubber Boots for protection, and the floors were soon covered with the solution of Carbolic Acid.
The container of the solution was similar to an old fashioned chicken sprayer.
Source:
http://cleanroom.net/?p=13
B.G.H. by Madeline Perry.