Pioneers of the transition from antiseptic to aseptic surgery

Lister J . Demonstrations of antiseptic surgery before members of the British Medical Association in the operating theatre of the Royal Infirmary, 4 & 5 August, 1875. Edinb Med J 1875–6; 21: 193–205.

Lister J . On the antiseptic principle in surgery. Lancet. 1867; ii: 353–6.

Fisher RB . Joseph Lister 1827–1912. London: Macdonald and Jane's, 1977: 147–8.

Lister J . The present position of antiseptic surgery. BMJyd 1890; ii: 377–9.

Macewen W . Lord Lister. Trans Royal Institution 1912; 20: 546–64.

Obituary. The late Sir William Macewen. Lancet. 1924; i: 727–8.

Gosselin D Robin A . Recherches sur l'urine ammoniacale. Compt rend Acad d sc Paris 1874; 78: 46–7.

Bowman AK . Sir William Macewen. London: William Hodge, 1942: 63.

Leeson JR . Lister as I Knew Him. London: Baillière Tindall & Cox, 1927.

Lister J . Treatment of fracture of the patella. Lancet. 1883; ii: 761–5.

von Volkmann R . On two cases of anchylosis of the knee joint treated by osteotomy. Edinb Med J 1875; 20: 794–9.

Ogston A . The operative treatment of genu valgum. Edin Med J 1877; 22: 782–4.

Macewen W . Osteotomy. London: J & A Churchill, 1880.

Macewen W . Osteotomy for genu valgum. Lancet. 1884; ii: 536–9.

Obituary. Macewen William Sir . Glasgow Herald, 24 March, 1924: 11.

Bowman AK (op.cit. ref 8): 68, 69, 72.

Macewen W . Intracranial lesions. Lancet. 1881; ii: 541–3, 581–3.

von Brans V . Fort mit dem Spray. Berl klin Wschr. 1880; 43: 609–11.

Lister J . Mr Lister on the use of the spray (letter). Lancet. 1883; ii: 220.

Graham H . Surgeons All (2nd edn). London: Rich and Cowan, 1956: 364.

Wangensteen OH Wangensteen SD . The Rise of Surgery. Folkestone: William Dawson, 1978: 351.

Neuber G . Zur Technik der aseptischen Wundbehandlung. Centralbl f Chir 1892; 19: 391–401.

Schimmelbusch C . The Aseptic Treatment of Wounds (transi. Rake AT ). London: HK Lewis, 1894.

Shortly afterwards, Davidsohn, working in Koch's laboratory, showed in meticulous experiments that all organisms, including spores, allowed to dry on instruments, were killed within five minutes by immersion in boiling water. He advised that they then be laid, dry, in a sterile tray. Davidsohn H . Wie soll der Arzt seine Instrumente desinficiren? Berl klin Wschr. 1888; 35: 697–703.

Fisher RB (op.cit. ref 3):276.

Annual Report. Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, 1908.

The new operating theatre at St George's Hospital. Lancet. 1897; i: 267–8.

The Middlesex Hospital: new operating theatre. Lancet. 1895; ii: 224–5.

Wrench GT . Lord Lister: His Life and Work. London: T Fisher Unwin, 1913: 331.

Redard P . De la desinfection des instruments chirurgicaux et des objets de pansement. Rev Chir 1888; 8: 360–71, 494–509.

Lister J . The treatment of wounds. Lancet. 1881; ii: 863–6.

Leader. Ovariotomy. BMJ 1880; i: 931–2.

Shepherd JA . Spender Wells. Edinburgh: E & S Livingstone, 1965: 57.

Keith T . Fifty-one cases of ovariotomy. Lancet. 1867; ii: 290–1.

Keith T . Second series of fifty cases of ovariotomy. Lancet. 1870; ii: 249–51.

Skene AJC . Thomas Keith. Brooklyn Med J 1896; 10: 73–80.

Keith T . Results of ovariotomy, before and after antiseptics. BMJ 1878; ii: 590–3.

Leader. A great deed in surgery. BMJ 1879; ii: 915–6 (quotes The Scotsman).

Upmalis IH . The introduction of Lister's treatment in Germany. Bull Hist Med. 1968; 42: 221–40.

Bulloch W . Sir Alexander Ogston. Lancet. 1929; i: 309–10.

Bowman AK (op.cit. ref 8):74.

Cameron HC . Reminiscences of Lister. Glasgow: Jackson Wylie, 1927.