Who is credited with popularizing antiseptic techniques in surgery?

• A. Louis Pasteur
• B. Joseph Lister
• C. Edward Jenner
• D. Robert Hooke

Answer: (B)

Antiseptic surgery focuses on killing or neutralizing microbes in the operative field to prevent infection after an operation. Joseph Lister popularized these techniques in the 1860s by applying carbolic acid (phenol) to wounds, instruments, and the surrounding surgical environment. His approach, sparked by the growing germ theory being developed by scientists like Pasteur, showed dramatic reductions in postoperative infections and deaths, proving that preventing microbial contamination could save lives. This shift established the practice of antisepsis and laid the groundwork for later aseptic techniques in modern surgery. Other figures mentioned are known for different breakthroughs—Pasteur for germ theory, Jenner for vaccination, and Hooke for early microscopic observations—making Lister the pivotal figure in bringing antiseptic methods into widespread surgical use.