How Did Joseph Lister Antiseptics Influence That Concept

Rubbing alcohol, also known as isopropyl alcohol “refers to two water-soluble chemical compounds—ethyl alcohol and isopropyl alcohol—that have generally underrated germicidal characteristics” (“Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities”). Ethyl alcohol kills bacteria in two ways: “protein denaturation and dissolving the lipid membrane” (“How Does Ethyl Alcohol Kill Bacteria?“). Next, Betadine, also known as Povidone-iodine is a solution [that is] often used in hand scrubs and hand rubs in hospital settings” (Ngan). It is used in “Treating minor wounds and infections, as well as killing bacteria” (“Povidone/ iodine solution”). Povidone-iodine’s way of killing bacteria is still being researched and “is yet to be fully understood, [but] it appears to have the ability to penetrate the cell wall of bacteria and affect their structure and function. This ensures their rapid destruction and helps protect against wound and skin infection” (“What is an Antiseptic”). Germ-X Hand Sanitizer is a hand gel that is used for waterless “washing” of hands to kill germs on the surface. It is an antiseptic primarily used by those who want to kill germs quickly and cannot wash their hands (Samuels). The formula contains about 63 percent ethyl alcohol according to livestrong.com (Samuels). Neosporin is a topical antibiotic used to

Modern-day advances have allowed scientists to develop methods to control pathogens. The more common methods include the use of antiseptics, antibiotics, and vaccines. By definition, antiseptics are chemicals used to kill pathogens. A few widespread antiseptics include soap, vinegar, and rubbing alcohol. Antiseptics are primarily used for the external destruction of pathogens, while antibiotics and vaccines target internal pathogens. Nevertheless, there are and can be difficulties concerning the use of antibiotics. “As antibiotic use has become more common, antibiotic-resistant bacteria have evolved.” This resistance due to evolution is called antibiotic resistance. It results in the antibiotics having no effect whatsoever on the bacteria, rendering the antibiotics useless. When antibiotic resistance occurs, scientists must resume their search to create a new medicine to can kill the mutant bacteria.

Before bathing/showering with soap and water prior to a procedure/surgery was accepted. It has been proven that antiseptic showering decreases skin microorganism count. Chlorhexidine gluconate products necessitate the need for several applications for the maximum antimicrobial benefit. Thus, each patient receives two preoperative antiseptic showers.

The discovery of penicillin was one of the most important discoveries in the 1900s and marks a turning point in human history. Penicillin was one of the world’s first antibiotics which eventually evolved into modern antibiotics that are used today; it has often been described as a miracle drug. The discovery of penicillin meant that doctors finally could completely cure their patients of deadly diseases. After World War I, many soldiers died from infected wounds because the antiseptics used, killed the patients’ immunological defences more than they killed the invading bacteria. Penicillin kills bacteria by destroying the cell wall of the microorganism causing the cell to burst; it was very effective in clearing bacteria without harming the

The disclosure by Alexander Fleming of penicillin opened up a totally new time of chemotherapy. Antibiotics are the chemotherapeutic specialists that kill or inhabit the development of microorganisms. These substance operators are utilized to treat malady by wrecking pathogenic microorganisms or restraining their development at focus sufficiently low to enough to avoid undesirable harm to the host (Dafale et al., 2016).

Infection was a serious case back then because antibiotics weren’t around until the late 1920s. Doctors used all of their meds to prevent infection but none can do so they did the practice of ‘debridement’ where they cut the tissues around the wound to prevent other tissues from being infected and after the tissue was cut away, the wound will be sealed.

This caused wounds to quickly become infected (Ahsan). Antibiotics and sulphonamides didn’t exist so doctors would resort to other treatments such as cutting the tissue away, sealing the wound, and rubbing carbolic lotion on the wound (Anderson). This led to the development of antibiotics in 1928. The understanding and experimentation of the wound treatment is owed to World War I. Antibiotics is used to this day and has a tremendous impact that has saved over millions of lives.

By Joseph Lister using antiseptics in surgery, the cleanliness of modern surgery is very sanitary and does not cause infection to patients and many of the infections led to amputations and death.

Antibiotics were introduced to people in 1929, which could restrain the normal growth of the other bacteria called antimicrobial activity, was found by British scientist Alexander Fleming by coincidence. Then scientists used antibiotics, to cure injured soldiers and got great success during the World War. With the efforts of many scientists in the past half of the century, thousand kinds of antibiotics are found, which could be natural, semi-synthetic or synthetic, and many of them are used in medical field successfully.

Joseph did not just decided to practice medicine, but also to do research to improve medical knowledge. Lister is known as the “Father of Modern surgery”, his greatest benefaction to medicine was promoting the use of carbolic acid as an antiseptic. Lister was influenced by Louis Pasteur's work on bacteria and wanted to improve germ transferring from the contamination of hands, clothing, and surgical instruments. Joseph Lister was always aware of the number of deaths after surgery, it was not caused only by the operation itself but the procedure as

Antiseptics are antimicrobial substances used on living tissue to reduce the possibility of infection, putrefaction or sepsis. The word “anti” is for against and the word “septic” is for infection. Antibacterial products are antiseptics that are proven to act against bacteria. Bacteria need a food supply, moisture, a certain temperature, a certain level of acidity and in most cases

Florence Nightingale was one of the first medical professionals to realize a need for sanitation during surgery during her time as a nurse in the Crimean War. She and a team of nurses improved the unsanitary conditions at a British base hospital, and greatly reduced the death count. In 1860, she funded the establishment of St. Thomas’ Hospital and Nightingale Training School for Nurses. She used her experience from the Crimean War to implement the beginnings of modern hospital infection control practices in St. Thomas’ Hospital. Nightingale’s practices were not the sole research and experimentation surrounding antisepsis. Many scientists studied death rates and the notion that air was the cause of infection and death. Dr. Joseph Lister did not believe in this notion, so he conducted a study that proved microorganisms, bacteria, caused infections. His study became known as the germ theory of infection, and launched the field of bacteriology. By 1870 he demonstrated that his antiseptic system could prevent most infectious complications of surgery. Despite Lister’s abundant results, doctors continued to reject antisepsis; it would be another twenty to thirty years before Listerism was adopted. Gross was very adamant on rejecting antisepsis; by 1875 Samuel Gross was the leading obstacle to the adoption of Listerism in

Infections are a significant problem in many medical and environmental situations. These infections are caused by an array of different microorganisms including bacteria, protozoa, fungi, yeasts, and viruses. The prevention of infections, and reduction or elimination of an infection once it is established is of importance,6 particularly in the area of skin and wound care. Environments that increase a patient's risk to infection include the surfaces of objects (internally and externally), fluids and fluid conduits. In healthcare, infections lead to longer hospital stays for patients and increased hospital costs. Even worse, a large number of patient deaths are attributed to infections.

He was a surgeon who introduced new principles of cleanliness which transferred to surgical practices. Lister also made new ways to cure wounds on people and something that wouldn’t fail. After many attempts he found a way and was later named ¨father of modern surgery

Carbolic acid was a huge step forward for the future of surgery. It would eventually lead to the emergence of new sanitary options. Carbolic acid is the first of many chemical agents that are used to kill germs. In an effort to help surgery be more sanitary, Joseph Lister published a book titled “Antiseptic Principle of the Practice of Surgery”. This would be a revolutionary book on cleanliness and sanitation. This book was read by surgeons all over the world. It shared with readers how to clean utensils, wash hands before doing a procedure, how to use chemical agents to kill germs, and how to sterilize a wound. After publishing the book, the mortality rates significantly dropped. Not only was he a published author, Joseph Lister also was a surgeon himself.