Later Pasteur discovered that these microbes were also in the air and that they caused all liquids to go off.
He then found a method of killing them by boiling then cooling the liquids.
This is known as pasteurising and is still used today.
After Pasteur discovered that these microbes caused wine to go sour he thought that these might cause disease amongst humans. He investigated by examining two blood samples, one from a healthy person and one from an unhealthy person. Sure enough there were more microbes found in the unhealthy subjects blood. This completely ruled out the theory of spontaneous generation, which was the only explanation people believed at the time.
Pasteur also introduced the idea of sterilising instruments before surgery, but many people did not use this idea until the 20th century, when aseptic surgery was introduced.
Pasteur’s work led to many other scientific discoveries. Robert Koch used Pasteur’s germ theory to discover the types of germs that caused certain diseases.
Joseph Lister used Pasteur's work to bring about antiseptic surgery. Lister’s idea that a ‘pollen like dust’ caused infection linked closely to Pasteur's microscopic germ theory.
In the 19th century, nursing was not considered as an important profession. Nurses were said to have done nothing to help their patients, but one woman who avoided this stereo type was Florence Nightingale.
She worked in an army hospital during the Crimean war, and made considerable contributions. She insisted on cleanliness in the hospital, because she believed illness came from ‘bad air’, which was caused by dirty conditions. She improved the conditions of the hospital during the war and subsequently decreased the death rate from 40% down to just 2%.
This revolutionary transformation gave her a name in history.
From the reputation she had gained from this she was able to improve nursing back in her hometown. She set up a nursing school in St. Thomas hospital using £44,00 of donations. She improved conditions in hospitals by insisting strict hygiene rules. She had noticed that the hospitals in the Crimean war were in poor condition, which resulted in many of the patients’ deaths.
All this work gave the nursing profession a better name for itself, and it soon became recognised as a well-known profession.
Nightingale did not directly influence Lister, but her great improvements in the conditions of hospitals helped many patients survive.
James Simpson was a medical student. He was watching an operation and he noticed that the patient was in agonising pain. This appalled him and he considered leaving the medical profession altogether. However, he persuaded himself to stay and to try and find a way of eliminating the amount of pain patients endured in an operation.
In 1847 he and his doctors made an exciting discovery, chloroform.
(James Simpson and his doctors after using Chloroform)
While explaining what happened he said, ‘we all inhaled the liquid, and were under the table in a minute or two…’
This discovery led to anaesthetics being used in operations, which made the operations a lot smoother, as the patient was unconscious so the doctor had more time to execute the operation. Still it had no immediate influence to Lister.
Overall I think Pasteur had the greatest influence to Lister. His germ theory helped Lister prevent infections. From Pasteur’s simple wine experiment, Lister brought about anaesthetics. Pasteur discovered microbes and Lister then developed a carbolic spray to kill microbes.
Nightingale introduced the idea of cleaning up hospitals and that ‘bad air’ caused a lot of disease. This was slightly similar to Lister’s theory that germs caused disease.
James Simpson did not really influence Lister but his discovery of Chloroform contributed highly to the world of medicine.
Task 3: Lister’s experiments with antiseptics
Joseph Lister believed disease and infection was caused by “pollen like dust”, and with Pasteur's work on wine he concluded this ‘dust’ was microscopic germs that were in the air. Lister then went on to discover that these germs could be spread around on surgical instruments.
He needed to find a way of destroying these microbes in the air and on instruments.
Lister firstly tried to eliminate infection by using carbolic acid. This had previously been tested on cattle. When carbolic acid had been spread over a field, the cattle in that field were free a common disease. It had also been tested in sewers, as it was able to get rid of the smell.
In 1865 Carbolic acid was tested on a child, James Greenleys. He had fractured his leg as it had been run over by a cart. Usually in this situation he would have had to have an amputation, but Lister decided to insert splints into the boys leg, which was extremely risky.
“A piece of lint dipped in liquid carbolic acid was laid on the wound, and splints padded with cotton wool were applied. It was left undisturbed for four days and when examined, it showed no sign of suppuration (festering)”
The operation was a great success and James Greenleys was able to walk again. This gave Lister a chance to publicise his findings and improve his techniques.
Lister then went on to improve methods of antiseptic surgery. He made sure that instruments were sterilised before operations to prevent germs being spread to the patient. He also invented a carbolic spray, which was used during operations, which prevented germs entering the wounds of patients.
This spray however caused a burning sensations and allergies on the patients hands. However this was useful as it led to the use of gloves in operations, due to the discovery of germs transported underneath fingernails.
Task 4: Conclusion
Lister’s experiments and developments in surgery were extremely important. His discoveries led the way for more complicated surgery. Without his great discovery of antiseptics, operations such as fractures would have resulted in amputations, but with antiseptics, fractures could be set instead. Also internal operations which would have been considered deadly could be carried out carefully and precisely. Nevertheless, Lister’s incredible breakthroughs would not have been possible without important influences and findings from others.
Lister’s greatest influence was Louis Pasteur. Pasteur’s experiments and discoveries of germs helped Lister link his theory of germs causing disease. Without Pasteur’s contributions, Lister would never have developed antiseptics. Another influence of Lister’s was Robert Koch. He not only discovered germs, but also the diseases linked with certain ones. He also discovered germs that were found in dirt, which chemicals would not react with. This led to the sterilising methods used to sterilise clothes and instruments.
Florence Nightingale did not directly influence Lister, but she had a similar theory of why disease occurred. She believed disease was spread by ‘bad air’ so she insisted on the cleanliness of hospital rooms. Because of these methods, the death rate of wounded soldiers in the Crimean war decreased from 40% to just 2%. Her contributions significantly improved the condition of hospitals and many lives were saved by her ‘clean’ techniques.
Many nursing schools based on her ideas were opened in Canada, Denmark, Germany, Sweden and the U.S.A.
She also published a book ‘Notes on nursing’. This was not a nursing textbook but in the words of the author gave “hints for thoughts to women who have personal charge of the health of others” This book included her ideas on cleanliness and the effect this had on patients.
Her concepts of bad air were similar to Lister’s germ theory, but not directly linked.
Through her training schools and teachings she greatly improved the nursing profession.
Antiseptics led to surgery being a great deal safer and successful. They meant that doctors did not need to rush operations because of pain patients would endure. More complex operations could take place because doctors could take their time without the risk of infection.
In conclusion, Lister’s work had a huge impact on the medical world. His methods of sterilisation anaesthetics made a massive effect on surgery, making it safer and more endurable for the patients.
People doubted his germ theory, yet he still carried out his work and his aseptic techniques are still used today.
His work in anti-septic and aseptic surgery was the basis for the prevention of sepsis in surgery in the future.
Surgery is now noted as either pre Lister or post Lister, due to the vast impact and contribution he has given the world of medicine.
