Why Is Joseph Lister So Important?

Lister successfully

introduced carbolic acid

(now known as phenol) to sterilise surgical instruments and to clean wounds. Applying Louis Pasteur’s advances in microbiology, Lister championed the use of carbolic acid as an antiseptic, so that it became the first widely used antiseptic in surgery.

Why is Joseph Lister important?

Joseph Lister is one of the

pioneers of Infection Control

. Not only did he reduce the incidence of wound infection (usually fatal pre-Lister) by the introduction of antiseptic surgery using carbolic acid, but also he was the first to apply Pasteur’s principles to humans.

Who was Joseph Lister and why was he so important?

Joseph Lister, in full Joseph Lister, Baron Lister of Lyme Regis, also called (1883–97) Sir Joseph Lister, Baronet, (born April 5, 1827, Upton, Essex, England—died February 10, 1912, Walmer, Kent), British surgeon and medical scientist who was

the founder of antiseptic medicine and a pioneer in preventive medicine

.

How did Joseph Lister improve health?

This began to change in 1867, when Joseph Lister discovered that

carbolic spray

was very effective in stopping wounds from getting gangrene. He developed antiseptic surgery by spraying medical instruments, catgut and bandages with a 1-in-20 solution of carbolic acid.

What prediction did Joseph Lister make?

Lister proved those theories wrong, and from experiments using lengths of animal jugular vein he concluded that

damage to the lining of blood vessels

was an important cause of intravascular coagulation.

What impact did Joseph Lister have on surgery?

Joseph Lister found

a way to prevent infection in wounds during and after surgery

. He was the first to apply the science of Germ Theory to surgery. Lister’s Antisepsis System is the basis of modern infection control. His principles made surgery safe and continue to save countless lives.

Are Anne Lister and Joseph Lister related?

Anne Lister, born into the scientifically-minded family that produced

Joseph Lister

and eventually lent its name to Listerine mouthwash, was also one of the great English diarists.

What does a lister mean?

listernoun. A spear armed with three or more prongs, for striking fish. listernoun.

One who, or that which, lists or produces a listing

; a person or organisation that creates or maintains lists.

What challenges did Joseph Lister face?

Harsh criticism of the system of medical teaching in London almost

cost him his appointment to King’s College Hospital at the peak of his career,

¹

and he failed to support equality of women with men in medicine.

What was the black period in surgery?

Ironically the use of chloroform initially led to the ‘black period of surgery’,

a 20-year period when the death rate actually went up

. However, this was not the fault of Simpson or chloroform. With patients unconscious, surgeons could now take their time over operations and attempt more difficult invasive surgery .

What factors helped Lister?

• Lister thought germs caused infection.
• He soaked bandages in carbolic acid to keep wounds clean. …
• Patients who would otherwise need limbs amputated due to infections, began to heal properly with Lister’s new antiseptic treatment.

How old was Joseph Lister when he died?

In 1883, Queen Victoria elevated him to the peerage and in 1897 he was given the title Lord Lister of Lyme Regis [3]. In 1902, he was awarded the Order of Merit, and made a Privy Councillor. He died at his country home in Walmer, Kent in February 1912 at the age of

84

.

Where did Joseph Lister do his work?

Is carbolic acid still used today?

Carbolic acid is used in a wide range of industrial and consumer product applications and can be a skin irritant. It

is still distributed to disaster victims for routine hygiene by

the Red Cross and other relief organisations.

Did Joseph Lister win a Nobel Prize?

In

1945

, the Nobel Prize for Medicine was awarded to three researchers for the discovery of penicillin: Boris Chain, Sir Howard Florey and Sir Alexander Fleming.