I. HISTORICAL. 
LISTER must undoubtedly be looked upon as the originator 
of the antiseptic mode of treating wounds, as he was the first 
surgeon who methodically attended to their treatment with this 
object in view. The LISTER method was introduced to Ger- 
man physicians in 1872 by SHULTZE, who had studied and 
seen the procedures of LISTER himself in Edinburg. LIS- 
TER, when originating this method, relied upon the well- 
known putrefaction experiments of SCHULZE, SCHWANN, 
SCHLEIDEN, SCHROEDER, DUSCH, PASTEUR, and 
others, and assigned the results of the above mentioned in- 
vestigators to the processes of decomposition in wounds. 
According to his conviction every decomposition in a wound 
could be arrested if all germs present in the wound could be 
killed, and the introduction of the same from outside, either 
through the air, or other things that come in contact with the 
wound, could be prevented. After several trials LISTER 
decided upon the following modus operandi: If a fresh 
wound is made, for instance, with the object of an operation, 
all articles in connection with it should be made germ free, 
that is, disinfected. LISTER used for this purpose carbolic 
acid. The instruments were lying in a 3 per cent. aqueous 
Solution of carbolic acid, the hands of the operator, of his as- 
sistants, also the operating table, after a preliminary thorough 
cleansing with soap and water, were rinsed with a 2 per cent. 
solution of carbolic acid; finally the air in the vicinity of the 
operating field was disinfected by a 1 per cent. solution of 
carbolic acid spray. After these preparations the field of the 
operation itself was disinfected, all the hair shaved off the skin, 
thoroughly washed with a brush, soap and warm water, and 
rinsed with a 2 per cent. solution of carbolic acid. 
