Joseph Lister & Carbolic Acid (AQA GCSE History): Revision Note

Why was carbolic acid a significant discovery in medicine? - Summary

Carbolic acid was a significant discovery in medicine because it made surgery much safer by reducing infections. Introduced by Joseph Lister in 1865, carbolic acid was used to clean wounds and sterilise the air in operating rooms. This drastically reduced the risk of infections like sepsis, which were a major cause of death after surgery. Lister’s work demonstrated the importance of killing germs during surgery, paving the way for aseptic methods. Carbolic acid was a key step in transforming surgery into a safer practice, saving countless lives.

However, there were issues with carbolic acid that limited its use. The acid was harsh and could dry out or irritate the skin of both patients and surgeons. This made it uncomfortable to use. It was also difficult to apply effectively at first, leading to resistance from some surgeons who disliked the extra effort. Over time, new and safer antiseptic techniques replaced carbolic acid, but its introduction marked a turning point in surgery.

What is an antiseptic?

• An antiseptic removes bacteria from a wound to prevent infection

Why did people attempt to find antiseptics?

• Surgeons in the 18th century did not understand the importance of cleanliness

  • They did not clean the operating theatre

  • They did not wash their hands before or after surgery

  • Their aprons were not washed as a stained coat showed a surgeon’s experience

  • Surgical equipment was not washed between operations

• Operating theatres were busy

  • Medical students watched the surgeon to gain practical knowledge

  • ‘Dressers’ were tasked to hold the patient still

• Many patients died post-surgery

  • Issues like gangrene and sepsis were to blame for a lot of deaths

• Scientists began to investigate:

  • why patients die post-surgery

  • how Germ Theory affected surgery

Who was Joseph Lister?

• Joseph Lister was a Scottish surgeon in the 19th century

• Pasteur’s Germ Theory inspired Lister

  • Lister noticed that flesh rotted

    • If microbes caused wine and vinegar to go bad, Lister believed they could also be causing flesh to rot

  • He wanted to develop an antiseptic which would stop the flesh from rotting

The use of carbolic acid

• Carbolic acid was a pre-existing product

  • It eliminated bad smells in the new sewage system which was being built in London

• In 1865, Lister soaked a bandage with carbolic acid and applied it to a broken leg after performing an operation on the break

  • The wound was observed after the operation

  • It healed without infection

• This discovery led to spraying carbolic acid into the air to monitor the impact

  • He published his findings in the medical journal The Lancet, providing examples of 11 successful operations where  carbolic spray was used

Significance carbolic acid

Positive impacts

• Lister encouraged surgeons to use carbolic acid

  • He believed practical success would convince more surgeons to use antiseptics than explaining the science

• As carbolic acid dried surgeons' hands, it caused the creation of rubber gloves

  • This revolutionised surgical practice

• In the long term, carbolic acid changed attitudes

  • It encouraged scientists to discover new antiseptic methods

  • It paved the way for aseptic surgery

Negative impacts

• Carbolic spray dried out the skin and had an unpleasant smell

  • It made surgeon's hands sore

• In the short term, surgeons did not understand the science behind Germ Theory

  • They were not willing to use carbolic spray

• Lister stopped using carbolic acid in 1890

Aseptic surgery

• By 1900, surgeons had developed methods of aseptic surgery

  • This is surgery carried out free of bacteria and the risk of infection

• A number of strategies were used by medical staff to make surgery much safer

Aseptic surgical methods