An Englishman who laid the foundation of antiseptics. History of antiseptics

We often hear the medical term "antiseptics". There are a lot of them in the pharmacy, and they are necessary. But what is it? Why are they applied? What do they consist of? And who is the man to whom the world owes their creation? In this article we will talk about how these drugs appeared, what it is and why they are needed.

Antiseptics

There is a whole system of measures for destruction in the wound, tissues and organs, and in the human body as a whole harmful microorganisms that can cause inflammation. Such a system is called antiseptic, which in Latin means "against decay". This term was first introduced by the British surgeon D. Pingle in 1750. However, Pingle is not at all the Englishman who laid the foundation for antiseptics, about which you could think. He only described the disinfecting effect of quinine and introduced a familiar concept.

Already on one name you can understand the principle of the work of these funds. So, antiseptics are drugs that, with various lesions of tissues and organs, prevent the infection of blood. Each of us from childhood is familiar with the simplest of them - it's iodine and zelenka. And the most ancient, used even in the time of Hippocrates, were vinegar and alcohol. Very often the concept of "antiseptic" is confused with another term - "disinfectant". Antiseptics have a broader spectrum of action, as they include all disinfecting drugs, including disinfectants.

Herbal products

There is such a thing as a natural antiseptic. This, as the name implies, is a substance that is created not by man, but by nature itself. An example is the juice of a plant such as aloe, or useful anti-cold onions and garlic.

Many antiseptics are made from natural materials. These are various herbal preparations, which include St. John's wort, yarrow or sage. This also includes a well-known tar tar, which is made on the basis of birch tar, and "Evkalimin" tincture, which is an extract from eucalyptus.

The fundamental achievement of medicine

The emergence of antiseptic drugs in nineteenth-century surgery, as well as other scientific discoveries (anesthesia, the discovery of blood groups) brought this field of medicine to an entirely new level. Until then, most doctors were afraid to take risky operations, which were accompanied by the opening of tissues of the human body. These were extreme measures, when there was nothing else left. And not in vain, because the statistics was disappointing. Practically one hundred percent of all patients died on the operating table. And the cause of everything were surgical infections.

So, in 1874, Professor Erickson said that for the surgeon, such parts of the body as the abdominal and cranial cavities, as well as the thorax, will always be inaccessible. And only the appearance of antiseptics has rectified the situation.

First steps

The history of antiseptics began back in time immemorial. In the writings of physicians of ancient Egypt and Greece, one can find references to their use. However, there was no scientific justification at that time. Only in the middle of the nineteenth century did the antiseptic become purposefully and meaningfully used as a substance capable of preventing decay processes.

At that time, surgeons performed many successful operations. However, serious problems still arose in the treatment of wounds. Even simple operations could end in a fatal outcome. If you look at the statistics, every sixth patient died after or during surgery.

Empirical principles

The basis of antiseptics was laid by the Hungarian obstetrician Ignaz Semmelweis, a professor at the Budapest Medical University. In 1846-1849 he worked at the obstetric clinic named after Klein, located in Vienna. There he drew attention to strange statistics of mortality. In the department, where students were allowed, more than 30% of women in labor were dying, and there, where the students did not go, the percentage was much lower. After the study, he realized that the cause of the maternal fever, from which the patients died, were the dirty hands of students who, prior to joining the obstetric ward, were engaged in anatomy of the corpses. At the same time, Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis at that time had no idea about the germs and their role in rotting. Having made such scientific discoveries, he developed a method of protection - doctors before the operation had to wash their hands with a solution of bleach. And it worked: the death rate in the maternity ward for 1847 was only 1-3%. It was nonsense. However, during the lifetime of Professor Ignaz Semmelweis, his discoveries were never accepted by the largest Western European specialists in the field of gynecology and obstetrics.

The Englishman who laid the foundation of antiseptics

Scientifically substantiate the concept of antiseptics became possible only after the publication of the works of Dr. L. Pasteur. It was he who in 1863 showed that behind the processes of decay and fermentation are microorganisms.

Joseph Lister became the luminary for surgery in this area. In 1865, he was the first to say: "Nothing that is not decontaminated should not touch the wound." It was Lister who came up with how to deal with wound infection with chemical methods . He developed a famous bandage soaked in carbolic acid. By the way, back in 1670, this acid was used as a disinfectant by the apothecary Lemer from France.

Professor concluded that the suppuration of wounds is due to the fact that they get into the bacteria. He first gave a scientific justification for such a phenomenon as a surgical infection, and came up with ways to deal with it. Thus, J. Lister became known throughout the world as an Englishman, who laid the foundation of antiseptics.

Lister's method

J. Lister invented his own method of protection from microbes. He was as follows. The main antiseptic was carbolic acid (2-5% aqueous, oily or alcoholic solution). With the help of solutions, microbes were destroyed in the wound itself, and all objects that came into contact with it were treated. So, surgeons smeared hands, processed tools, dressings and sutures, all the operating room. Lister also proposed the use of antiseptic catgut as a suture material , which had the property of resolving. Lister attached great importance to air in the surgical room. He believed that this is a direct source of germs. Therefore, the room was also treated with carbolic acid with a special atomizer.

After the operation, the wound was sutured and covered with a bandage consisting of several layers. This was also Lister's invention. The dressing did not let in air, and its lower layer, consisting of silk, was impregnated with 5% carbolic acid, diluted with resinous substance. Next, eight more layers were applied, treated with rosin, paraffin and carbolic acid. Then everything was covered with oilcloth and tied with a clean bandage soaked in carbolic acid.

Thanks to this method, the number of dying during the operations has significantly decreased. Lister's article, which tells how to correctly treat and disinfect fractures and abscesses, was published in 1867. She turned the whole world over. This was a real breakthrough in science and medicine. And the author became known throughout the world as an Englishman, who laid the foundation of antiseptics.

Opponents

The Lister method became widely used and found a huge number of supporters. However, there were those who disagreed with his conclusions. Most opponents claimed that the Lister-selected carbolic acid is not an antiseptic suitable for disinfection. The composition of this tool contained substances that had the strongest irritating effect. This could traumatize both the patient's tissues and the surgeon's hands. In addition, carbolic acid had toxic properties.

It should be noted that the well-known Russian surgeon Nikolai Pirogov also came close enough to this problem before Joseph Lister. In his method of treatment, the main disinfectants were chlorine lime, camphor alcohol and silver nitrate, which are less toxic than the carbonic acid proposed by the Englishman. However, Pirogov did not create his own doctrine of the use of antiseptics, although he was very close to this.

Aseptics against antiseptics

After some time, a completely new way to combat surgical infection was developed: aseptic. It was not to disinfect the wound, but not to let infection get into it immediately. This method was more sparing compared with antiseptic, due to which many doctors called for the complete abandonment of Lister's developments. However, life as always has arranged everything in its own way.

Chemistry as a science did not stand still. There were new antiseptics in medicine, which replaced toxic carbolic acid. They were softer and more sparing. During the First World War, there was an urgent need for powerful tools that could disinfect gunshot wounds. Old antiseptic and septic drugs could not cope with severe infectious foci. Thus, chemicals have come to the fore.

All new and new developments

In the thirties of the last century, the world received a new high-quality antiseptic. It was a sulfanilamide drug that can prevent and suppress the growth of bacteria in the human body. The tablets were taken orally and acted on the microorganisms of certain groups.

In the forties, the world's first antibiotic was created. With his appearance for surgeons opened completely unthinkable before this opportunity. The main feature of the antibiotic is the selective effect on bacteria and microorganisms. Almost all modern antiseptics belong to this group. It seemed that the drug could not be better than the drug. However, it was later revealed that the excessive use of antibiotics causes a kind of immunity in microorganisms, and no side effects have been canceled.

A unique drug

Scientific and medical progress does not stand still. And in the eighties of the twentieth century, the world learned about a drug such as Miramistin. At first it was developed as an antiseptic, disinfecting the skin of cosmonauts going to orbital stations. But then it was admitted into wide use.

Why is it so unique? First, this drug is absolutely safe and non-toxic. Secondly, it does not penetrate the mucous membranes and skin and has no side effects. Thirdly, it is aimed at the destruction of a huge range of pathogens: fungi, bacteria, viruses and other protozoan microorganisms. In addition, its unique property lies in the mechanism of action on microbes. Unlike antibiotics, the new generation drug does not produce resistance in microorganisms. Miramistin medication is used not only for the treatment of infections, but also for their prevention. So today unique preparations, created for space exploration, are available to all of us.