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Janet asked this question about The Surgeon's Daughter (Nora Beady, #2):
I didn't see any mention of antiseptic measures the surgeons took prior to treating patients and know this wasn't understood until later in the 19th century. There was mention of splashing some wine on a wound, though. It amazes me that anyone was able to recover from surgeries. Were there any other measures taken?
Gail In this book there was no mention of measures to keep the immediate area sterile, no mention of sterilizing instruments, or washing their hands, altho…moreIn this book there was no mention of measures to keep the immediate area sterile, no mention of sterilizing instruments, or washing their hands, although I recall once where Nora ‘cleaned’ her hands on her apron after a surgery. Microscopes allowed them to see spermatozoa but perhaps not germs especially if they would not have known what to look for. Screens were put up to separate diphtheria patients from other patients though they did know that tetanus could be transferred through a cut on the skin.
Scary description of a person suffering and dying from tetanus. Anyone who doesn’t want to vaccinate their child/ren should read a similar description. (less)
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The Surgeon's Daughter
by Audrey Blake (Goodreads Author)
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