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Topic: Surgery in the Victorian era

Anonymous 47ae211000a6a8.34833955 started this discussion 2 months (2008-05-21 12:23:49 UTC) ago:

> Surgeries were very hazardous during this era. Illnesses were very common and disastrous. Surgeons did not wash or clean their hands prior to performing surgery and this caused many infections.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_era#Hygiene

WHAT?! Surely all surgeons in all times must have realized that washing your hands would be a sensible minimal security measure to do before digging around inside a human body?!

Anonymous 4833c7af60be86.05503821 replied with this 2 months (2008-05-21 12:35:57 UTC) ago, 12 minutes later (#18,839):

Actually no, they didn't always know. I believe it took a Englishman by the name of Joseph Lister (for whom Listerine is named) to make the connection between dirty hands and infection.

Anonymous 483420a4139810.32415588 replied with this 2 months (2008-05-21 13:17:47 UTC) ago, 42 minutes later (#18,844):

Well you see people went with the idea….I can't see germs so they don't exsist.

Anonymous 47ae211000a6a8.34833955 (OP) replied with this 2 months (2008-05-21 13:18:40 UTC) ago, 53 seconds later (#18,845):

@18,844

That's funny since they believed in a God that they couldn't see either…

Anonymous 483420a4139810.32415588 replied with this 2 months (2008-05-21 21:51:30 UTC) ago, 9 hours later (#18,943):

You'd think common sense would dictate that they shouldn't believe in God…but we know people are stupid.

Anonymous 48132cacd97739.94404947 replied with this 1 month (2008-05-29 20:05:39 UTC) ago, 1 week later (#21,175):

No anesthetics either. Rough.