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GCSE History · key term
A chemical used by Joseph Lister to kill germs in surgical treatment, including in dressings and sprays.
Used by AQA
Paper 2
Revise: Revolution in SurgeryLister chose carbolic acid, a chemical already used in sewage treatment. In 1865, he applied a carbolic-acid dressing to a boy’s compound fracture. Such injuries were especially dangerous because an open wound allowed infection to reach the damaged tissue.
Support comparisons with evidence about both individuals: Simpson tested chloroform in 1847; Lister tested carbolic acid on a compound fracture in 1865.
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