Joseph Lister – an English surgeon’s biography
Antiseptic is a substance that could be applied to living skin to prevent infection generated by microorganisms. Some examples of antiseptics are: alcohol, iodine, salt, sodium bicarbonate, and boric acid.
Before the discovery of antiseptics, there was an increasing death rate among patients undergoing surgery. During the years 1864 to 1866, it is estimated that 45.7% of patients died from tissue infection. Sir Joseph Lister, an English surgeon, born on April 5th, 1827, in Upton, England, was the founder of the antiseptic surgery. For his contribution to the medical and biological field, he was awarded the Royal Medal in 1880 and the Copley Medal in 1902