Name: Lord Joseph Lister Dates: 1827-1912 Nationality: English Place of Birth: Upton, Essex Last Post: Professor of Surgery, Kings Claim to fame: Pioneer of Antiseptic Surgery Anatomy: Discovered the dorsal tubercle of the radius Lesser Known Talents: An accomplished artist

Professor of Surgery at Glasgow 1860, Edinburgh 1869 and Kings College London 1877. Son of a Yorkshire Quaker wine merchant, Lister was educated in London and moved to Edinburgh after membership to the Royal College of Surgeons. He worked there for seven years, ending up by marrying the bosses daughter (Professor James Syme) and then appointed Regis Professor of Clinical Surgery in Glasgow aged 33y - who said nepotism was a bad thing? Nevertheless, a surgical genius influenced by intensive study and research. Pasteurs work was an influential link to Listers advances.

Lord Lister first reported his antiseptic surgical technique after a successful operation in 1865, presenting his findings at the British Medical Association informing them that ' since the antiseptic treatment has been brought into full operation, and wounds and abscesses no longer poison the atmosphere with putrid exhalations, my wards have completely changed their character;.. SO THAT DURING THE LAST NINE MONTHS NOT A SINGLE CASE OF PYAEMIA, HOSPITAL GANGRENE, OR ERYSIPELAS HAS OCCURRED..'
Unfortunately, the surgical profession took many years to follow this example.

Lord Lister, together with Sir Frederick Treves operated on King Edward the VII for appendicitis.

It would be impossible to estimate the impact of Listers work. The number of human lives saved as a result of the eventual widespread use of antiseptic surgery and the logical succession to aseptic surgical techniques literally changed history.