Reducing Infection

Joseph Lister

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...revolutionised surgery and saved millions of lives.

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In 1865, having studied Pasteur's work and hearing how carbolic acid had rid cattle parasites in fields and treated sewage. He was convinced that microorganisms were in the air, so he started cleaning wounds with carbolic acid and dressings with antiseptic liquid. The death rate of his surgical patients fell dramatically from 45% to 15%.

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"Lister saw the vast importance of Pasteur work because he was watching on the heights, and he was watching there alone"  Sir Thomas Clifford Allbutt!