In the early 1800s, hospitals suffered from incredibly high levels of post-treatment patient mortality. In 1861, Joseph Lister, a fellow at the Royal Glasgow Infirmary, measured the rate of post-amputation deaths at 45 to 50%. Two years later, Lister came across an article by French chemist Louis Pasteur that described his theory that microorganisms cause infections. In response, Lister introduced new policies aimed at sterilization and promoted the use of phenol as an anesthetic. By 1866, post-amputation mortality rates in his ward had fallen to 15%. Lister’s sterilization techniques spread quickly across the world. Today he is considered the “father of antiseptic medicine.”
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