Surgery developments from 1800s onwards Flashcards
Why did anaesthetics develop?
Partly because of improved knowledge of chemistry
Scientists were find that certain chemicals could have an effect on the human body
What did Sir Humphrey Davey discover and in 1799? What did he suggest about it?
Laughing gas (nitrous oxide) Reduced sensation of pain. Suggested that it might be used in surgical operations and by dentists.
What were the downsides of Nitrous oxide (Laughing gas) as an anaesthetic? Give examples.
Did not make patients completely unconscious so was not complete answer to the problem of pain
Some people were still in agony when using the laughing gas, killing the confidence
Dentist Horace Wells used it on a patient in a public demonstration and he was in agony
What were the downsides to Ether as an anaesthetic?
It irritated the eyes and lungs, causing coughing and sickness
It could catch fir if close to a flame
Had a vile, clinging smell that ok ages to go away
Came in a large heavy bottle that was difficult to carry around
When was Chloroform discovered and by who?
James Simpson in 1847
What did Ignaz Semmelweiss say that was very important? What did people call him because of it?
Called for doctors to wash their hands before entering the maternity wards in the General hospital in Vienna
They were ignored at the time because people didn’t know diseases were caused by pathogens
Said he was a crank, fanatic and unstable
What happened in 1853 regarding Queen Victoria?
She was given chloroform for the birth of her son Prince Leopold, by Dr John Snow, who was the leading anaesthetist at the time
Name 1 reason for the opposition to Chloroform?
New and untested gas; no one knew for sure if there would be long term side effects; didn’t know how much dose to give to each patient
Name reason 2 why there was opposition to Chloroform?
Didn’t necessarily make surgery safer
Doctors attempted more complex operations thus carrying infections deeper into the body and causing more loss of blood
In 1870 why did some surgeons stop using chloroform? What did they turn to?
Concern e about the high death rate (1 in 2500)
Returned to using ether mixed with nitrous oxide
What was the opposition to chloroform in childbirth?
People were against the idea of using pain in childbirth; thought it was unnatural.
Believe the pain and sorrow of labour exert a most powerful and useful influence upon the religious and moral character of a woman and upon all their future relations in life
Why was opposition to chloroform overcome?
Queen used it when giving birth to her eight child in 1857!-!: she publicly praised ‘ that blessed chloroform’
The support of the Queen meant opposition was doomed
How was the idea of antiseptics helped? Who led the way for this discovery to happen?
Other chemicals were used which relaxed muscles as well as simply putting patients to sleep
New chemicals that fewer side-effects that chloroform
Local anaesthetics were developed
This took time but Simpsons use of chloroform was the key turning point
Why was infection a big danger in surgery? How did surgeons make it worse?
Patients survived operations but then died form infections
Surgeons didn’t wash their hands
Re-used bandages, spreading gangrene and skin infections from patient to patient
Didn’t sterilise their equipment
Some operated wearing old pus stained clothes
Describe what Joseph Lister was like? What did he research?
Cold, arrogant and aloof; critical of other surgeons
Seen as a fanfic by some surgeons
One of the most outstanding surgeons of the nineteenth century
Researched gangrene and infection, and had a keen interest in the application of science to medicine
Used Pasteur work to spark his own discovery
