Industrial Medicine Flashcards
What were the three main anaesthetics discovered in the Industrial era and what are they for?
Nitrous Oxide, Ether and Chloroform were used for effective pain relief during surgery.
What did these three main anaesthetics do?
N.O = laughing gas that causes people to feel giddy and light-headed. E&C = put patients to sleep.
Was Nitrous Oxide effective?
Yes and no. It was not recognized as an anaesthetic at the time; instead, it was sold as a circus novelty. Now, it is recognized, especially in America.
Was Ether effective?
Yes and no. It put patients to sleep but it was hard to inhale, causing vomiting. It was also highly flammable, which was dangerous as surgery was mainly performed in people’s homes next to open fireplaces.
Was Chloroform effective?
Yes and no. It was if it was used correctly but doctors didn’t understand different dosage sizes on different people.
In what ways were anaesthetics a success?
Patients did not need to deal with pain during surgeries. Queen Victoria used Chloroform whilst in labour and described it as ‘delightful beyond measure’.
In what ways were anaesthetics a failure?
Some patients died as they didn’t understand dosages. Patients put at risk from flammability in homes from Ether. Still a severe death rate from infection after surgeries (anaesthetics didn’t revolutionize surgery, but they did conquer pain!)
Who were contagionists?
People who believed sickness came from coming into contact with an infected person.
Who were anti-contagionists?
People who believed sickness came from the environment.
What did Louis Pasteur do?
He investigated why wine and beer often went sour and discovered that germs/bacteria were the cause. REMEMBER- HE PUBLISHED GERM THEORY IN 1861!
How did Robert Koch prove and develop Pasteur’s theory?
He stained and grew specific germs and found that bacterium caused disease, proving Germ Theory correct. He also identified the germ responsible for TB and cholera.
What were Koch’s methods?
He grew bacterium from animals that died from it. He also grew microbes on a plate of solidified agar to encourage microbes to grow.
How did Koch use his work to aid other scientists?
He died microbes to see specific germs which he photographed so others could study them in detail.
What did John Tyndall do?
Promoted Germ Theory. Lectured doctors on Koch’s anthrax discovery in 1876.
Why was Koch so important?
His work led to numerous other scientists to find and combat the bacteria that caused diseases.
Why was Pasteur so important?
His competition with Koch led to groundbreaking discoveries for vaccination.
What is antiseptic surgery?
Killing germs that get near wounds.
What is aseptic surgery?
Germs are stopped from getting near wounds.
What did Lister do?
He used carbolic acid as an antiseptic method to kill bacteria. He would soak hands, wounds and instruments in the acid to avoid infection. He published his results in 1867.
What did people realise about surgery after the introduction of Germ Theory?
Infection led to deaths during surgery.
