1.2 Pasteur and lister conquer germs

• What lesson for life does Pasteur want to teach us?
• Mention four good characteristics of Pasteur.
• You have been asked to write an epitaph for a memorial stone which is to be erected for Louis Pasteur. Write it down.

Pasteur, the hard worker, once said: “These three things, will, work and success, cover our whole life. Will opens the door to brilliant and happy careers, work crosses the threshold, and at the end of the journey success crowns our efforts.”

d) Joseph Lister: The father of modern surgery

During the first half of the 19 ^th century, operations were still very dangerous. Most patients died during surgery. Wounds became infected and patients died from blood poisoning.

Lister wanted to find a solution. After becoming aware of Pasteur’s discovery of germs, he realized that, as the air was full of bacteria, these could penetrate incised wounds. Germs therefore caused infection in wounds made during surgery.

Activity 3:

To understand chronology and time

[lo 2.1]

e) Assignment

(i) You will find that changes occur suddenly or gradually. First study the article and illustration and write down five serious problems that occurred in hospital wards/passages. Use a separate A4 sheet.

SOURCE 1

Lister decided that all instruments and the surgeon’s hands should be disinfected (made germ-free or sterilized). He developed a disinfectant (a solution of carbolic acid) which destroyed germs in wounds. This remedy also caused a scab to form over the wound, which prevented germs from penetrating wounds.

Lister proved his new methods over and again. He immediately started training doctors and nurses to disinfect their clothes, hands and instruments. He made a great contribution towards saving the lives of people by making operations safer.

SOURCE 2

Hospital

1. Read the excerpt from Lister’s letter to Pasteur and write down three of Lister’s good characteristics.

"Allow me to thank you because your brilliant research has shown me the truth regarding your theory of germs as the cause of decay. You taught me the principle which made my method of antiseptic treatment such a success. If you ever come to Edinburgh, you will be rewarded by seeing in our hospital to what a great extent mankind has benefited by you work..."

(iii) Have a group discussion and tell the members of your group about an operation which you have had. Remember, if it had not been for Lister’s discovery, you might have died.

(iv) Make a list of all the preventative measures which are taken in hospitals to prevent infection in operation wounds nowadays.

Assessment