Question

Which of the following individuals pioneered the use of chemicals to reduce the incidence of infections during surgery?

A) Lister
B) Semmelweis
C) Snow
D) Ehrlich
E) Nightingale

Answer 1

Joseph Lister pioneered the use of carbolic acid as a disinfectant to reduce the incidence of infections during surgery.

Step-by-step explanation:

The individual who pioneered the use of chemicals to reduce the incidence of infections during surgery was Joseph Lister. In the mid-1800s, Lister was aware of the high mortality rates from post-surgical infections. Familiar with the work of Semmelweis and Pasteur, Lister championed the cause for better sanitary practices in surgery. In 1867, he began using carbolic acid (phenol) as a disinfectant during surgeries, which significantly lowered post-surgical infection rates and eventually became a standard medical practice.

Lister's implementation of disinfection protocols, including washing hands with a 5% carbolic acid solution, cleaning surgical tools with the solution, and spraying it over surgical sites and bandages, dramatically changed surgical procedures and improved patient outcomes.