Surgery in the C19th

What was surgery like in the nineteenth century?

Surgery in the mid-19th century was basic, dangerous, and had a low survival rate.

Why did so many people die in surgery before the late nineteenth century?

Surgery in the mid-19th century had a high mortality rate for 3 main reasons.

• ❖ It was painful, which caused some patients to go into shock and die. It was also hard for them to keep still, and surgeons had to work very fast, which increased the likelihood of mistakes.
• ❖ The wounds created by surgery were likely to become infected.
• ❖ Many patients bled to death.

What pain relief was used for surgery at the beginning of the nineteenth century?

Surgeons used various methods to try and prevent pain in the mid-nineteenth century. These included knocking patients out, giving them alcohol to make them drunk, or giving them opium. None were effective.

What was surgery like in the early nineteenth century?

Patients would usually be held down, and the operation performed as quickly as possible to reduce the amount of pain experienced. Operations often took place in the patient's home.

Why did surgery improve in the late nineteenth century?

The 19th century experienced 4 key changes for surgery.

• ❖ In 1861, Louis Pasteur discovered that diseases were caused by germs, paving the way for antiseptic, and later aseptic, surgery.
• ❖ Joseph Lister's carbolic acid spray in 1865 killed germs before and during surgery, reducing infection with antiseptic surgery.
• ❖ James Blundell carried out early blood transfusions, publishing his paper 'Experiments on the Transfusion of Blood by the Syringe' in 1818.
• ❖ In 1847, James Simpson's discovery of chloroform reduced pain in surgery, particularly for childbirth.