In the world of football, it is not uncommon for players to suffer leg injuries, ranging from minor ones to the most severe—such as broken bones. The medical world is now able to treat injured players and even enable them to return to the pitch to continue their careers. But this is only possible now, following the discovery of antiseptics, which have played a major role in the field of surgery and are considered one of the world-changing discoveries. Joseph Lister was the man who successfully developed the use of antiseptics in surgical procedures. 

Early Life

Joseph Lister was born in Upton in the spring, on 5 April 1827 to be precise, and was the son of a rather successful wine merchant in the area. At that time, Upton was a village within the parish of West Ham, Essex, situated 10.4 km from St Paul’s Cathedral, the grandest church in London. His father, Joseph Jackson Lister, was not only a businessman but also an English amateur optician and physicist. One of his father’s discoveries was a method of combining lenses to improve image resolution. This discovery later led to the design of microscope lenses, which are now essential scientific instruments. The highlight of his father’s career came when he was elected to the Royal Society, a professional organisation of scholars in the United Kingdom. His mother, Isabella Harris, worked at Ackworth School, a missionary school dedicated to helping underprivileged children. At this school, Joseph worked alongside his mother, who served as the school’s supervisor. 

It was not actually difficult for Joseph to receive a good education during his childhood. However, his father, a scientist, preferred to teach his son himself. It was not until the age of 11 that Joseph was enrolled at Benjamin Abbott’s Isaac Brown Academy in Hertfordshire. He attended the school there for three years. Interestingly, the school building where Joseph studied has now been converted into a hotel and is known as The Lord Lister Hotel , which visitors can enjoy whilst immersing themselves in the history of the past. Joseph then continued his education at Grove House School which excelled in mathematics, natural sciences and languages. His father took a keen interest in Joseph’s education and encouraged him to study German and French more diligently. His father realised that many books on the history of natural sciences were written in German and French, which would make it easier for Joseph to study them in depth later on. Sure enough, Joseph soon became fascinated by natural history and would spend hours collecting small animals such as frogs and fish, which he would then dissect himself and examine under his father’s microscope whilst noting down the anatomy of these creatures. It was this experience that led Joseph to resolve to become a surgeon. Joseph finally graduated from secondary school in 1844 at the age of 17.

His University Years and His Medals.

Joseph was accepted at University College London (UCL) and enrolled on the medical programme. In London, he lived in a small flat and had to share a room with a friend to keep costs down. Joseph diligently attended his lectures and frequently won “Certificates of Honour” for his research essays. London, which was entering winter in December 1847, eventually witnessed Joseph’s graduation with a Bachelor of Arts (BA). The New Year should have brought new enthusiasm for the newly graduated Joseph. His older brother contracted smallpox and subsequently died, leaving Joseph deeply depressed. Compounded by the preparations for continuing his medical studies, Joseph suffered from a nervous breakdown. He subsequently decided to take a holiday to alleviate the pressures of his life. Once he felt better, Joseph resumed his medical studies and graduated at the age of 23 in 1950. Not only that, but Joseph was also awarded  “Certificates of Honours” and won two gold medals in anatomy and a silver medal in surgical medicine. After graduating, Joseph was admitted as a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (FRCS) in Dublin, Ireland. 

The Emergence of Antiseptics 

At that time, surgical procedures carried out by surgeons to treat an illness often led to infections in the body, sometimes resulting in death. Surgeons had to accept that their patients might die from infections of surgical wounds or incisions, even when the operation itself had been successful. This was linked to infections such as sepsis (a complication of infection) and gangrene, which is the death of tissue caused by infection or a lack of blood flow. At Edinburgh Hospital, where Joseph practised, nearly 80 per cent of patients also died from these conditions. Doctors at the time believed that infections arose spontaneously within the wound. Joseph was not convinced by this view and, on the contrary, believed that infections could be prevented. 

Joseph began to observe the occurrence of infection by comparing patients with minor fractures with those suffering from multiple fractures. He noted that patients with minor fractures did not require surgery; their bones could be realigned immediately and then put in a plaster cast. This contrasted with the treatment given to patients with multiple fractures. In these patients, the fracture had torn the skin, leaving the wound exposed to the air.  From this, Joseph concluded that infection occurred because airborne microorganisms entered the surgical wound.  Joseph began to refine the procedures followed during surgery. Hygiene is essential both before and after surgery, such as washing hands and wearing clean clothing. These procedures were initially met with derision by some of his colleagues, who still regarded performing surgery in the same clothes and being splattered with blood after the operation as a symbol of a surgeon’s success. 

Noble Title

In 1860, at the age of just 33, Joseph was appointed Professor of Surgery at the University of Glasgow. He also delved deeper into harmful microorganisms through the papers of Louis Pasteur. Joseph, the son of a wine merchant, and Pasteur, an expert in wine fermentation, both believed that wine turned sour due to bacteria entering through the air. It was because of this belief that Joseph sought a way to prevent infection by destroying bacteria entering via the air. Joseph used antiseptics to kill or inhibit the growth of microorganisms in living tissue. Joseph began to develop his antiseptic techniques through various experiments and clinical trials, eventually publishing his findings on a regular basis.

This method was gradually accepted, culminating in doctors from Denmark and Germany applying its principles in every surgical operation they performed. The post-operative mortality rate fell from 80 per cent to almost zero. He received one accolade after another from fellow surgeons across Europe at that time. His highest honour came when Joseph was appointed professor of surgery at King’s College Hospital, a major teaching hospital and leading trauma centre located at Denmark Hill, Camberwell, in the London Borough of Lambeth, United Kingdom. This honour also led to him being knighted as Sir by Queen Victoria in 1883.

The final years of his life

Joseph married Agnes Syme, the daughter of Professor James Syme, his supervisor during his internship in Edinburgh in 1856. Throughout their marriage, Agnes served as his reliable assistant. Her duties, such as assisting with experiments and taking notes, were carried out diligently and meticulously. 

Joseph died on 10 February 1912 in his hometown at the age of 84. His funeral was marked by a grand public service held at Westminster Abbey. His body was then transferred from his home to St Faith’s Chapel before being laid to rest at Hampstead Cemetery in London. 

Throughout his life, Joseph had a deep love for the field of science in which he specialised. Joseph regarded his entire life’s work as a service to God. His talent and diligence led to Joseph being recognised by his peers. Award after award seemed to be proof that his life spoke volumes and was of benefit to many people.  Joseph Lister had become an instrument of God’s love for His people throughout the world. God used Joseph to bless humanity!