Etymology:
Meaning:
Antisepsis refers to the practice of preventing the growth and spread of microorganisms, especially bacteria, that cause infections and decay.
Origin:
The concept of antisepsis originated in the mid-19th century, largely attributed to the work of Hungarian physician Ignaz Semmelweis. Semmelweis observed that women giving birth in hospitals were dying from puerperal fever (childbed fever) at much higher rates than women giving birth at home. He hypothesized that medical students were unknowingly transmitting infectious material from the autopsy room to the maternity ward.
In 1847, Semmelweis implemented a mandatory handwashing protocol using a chlorine solution for medical students and staff before examining or assisting in childbirth. This resulted in a dramatic decrease in the mortality rate from puerperal fever.
Semmelweis's discovery laid the foundation for the development of antiseptic techniques, which later became a cornerstone of modern medicine. Sir Joseph Lister, a Scottish surgeon, further refined the principles of antisepsis in the 1860s and 1870s, establishing it as a standard surgical practice.
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