Joseph Lister and Alexander Flemming

Question 1

Who was Joseph Lister?

Answer 1

• a British surgeon and a pioneer of ANTISEPTIC SURGERY. He promoted the idea of STERILE PORTABLE PORTS while working at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Lister successfully introduced carbolic acid (now known as PHENOL) to STERILIZE surgical instruments and to clean wounds.
• Lister’s work led to a reduction in post-operative infections and made surgery safer for patients, distinguishing himself as the “FATHER OF MODERN SURGERY”.

Question 2

What was Alexander Fleming?

Answer 2

• a Scottish biologist, pharmacologist and botanist. His best-known discoveries are the enzyme LYSOZYME in 1923 and the world’s first antibiotic substance benzylpenicillin (Penicillin G). He made this discovery accidentally while studying staph, and noticing the mold penicillium growing as well in the absence of staph.