19th Century Surgery Flashcards
Uses for alcohol and opium
Helps subdue a patient and given to children to calm them down
Negatives of alcohol and opium
Could cause death
Some had arsenic + mercury
Opium is addictive
Uses of nitrous oxide
Relieves pain in operations
Who found nitrous oxide?
Sir Humphrey Davy and friends were trying out drugs and got knocked out. Published findings in 1800.
Ether facts
Found by William Morton in 1846
Robert Liston amputated a leg in 28 seconds
Nitrous oxide negatives
Difficult to control doses
Hard to inhale
Vomiting
Ether negatives
The patient could awake mid operation
Flammable
Irritates lungs
Large bottles
Chloroform
Used by James Simpson in 1847 to reduce pain in childbirth
Causes sleepiness, drowsiness and unconsciousness
In 1853, Queen Victoria used it in the birth of her eighth child.
Chloroform negatives
Correct dose size is needed
Hannah greener died after using it
Coca Leaves, Cocaine
From South America and used to make eye drops. In 1891 it was chemically produced
What did the church think about the use of anaesthesia?
The church thinks it unacceptable to take away pain, especially during childbirth, as this is part of gods punishment to women.
What is antiseptic surgery?
Surgery where measures are taken to kill harmful microbes
What is aseptic surgery?
Surgery where an infection is prevented from entering the wound by using a sterile environment.
Who was Joseph Lister?
He was a British surgeon who observed surgeries done on frogs and a boy called Jamie Greenlees to see that clean instruments prevented infection.
Used an operating room sterilised with carbolic acid.
The mortality rates in his operations dropped from 46% to 15% in three years.
Who invented a machine that sprayed carbolic acid?
Joseph Lister in 1871
