I 



LOKD LISTER, 1827-1912. 



Joseph Lister was born at Upton in Essex on April 5, 1827, and, like many- 

 other men who have attained great eminence, belonged to a Quaker family. 

 His father, Joseph Jackson Lister, who was in business in London, occupied 

 his leisure time in scientific researches, more especially in researches in con- 

 nection with the perfection of the microscope ; indeed, it is to his researches 

 that we owe the final perfection of the achromatic lens, which has proved 

 such an essential instrument for microscopical work. He was a man 

 of great accuracy of thought, and a hard worker, and his influence on 

 Lord Lister's character and career was very profound ; indeed, Lord Lister 

 himself was never weary of stating how much he owed to his father's early 

 training. It may be noted, in passing, that his father was himself a Fellow 

 of the Eoyal Society, and that his brother and one of his nephews have also 

 received that honour. 



Lister's medical training commenced at University College, and while 

 there he came under the influence of Sharpey, who was then Professor of 

 Physiology, and of Thomas Graham, who was Professor of Chemistry. Sharpey 

 especially exercised great influence in directing his thoughts to the study of 

 physiological problems, which ultimately formed the basis of his great life 

 work ; indeed, while still a student he made observations on the contractile 

 tissue of the iris which attracted a considerable amount of attention among 

 physiologists, both in this country and abroad, and he followed that up by 

 work on the muscular tissue of the skin. Both these papers were published 

 in the ' Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science,' in 1853. 



His career at the London University was a very distinguished one, and in 

 1852 he took the Degree of M.B. Towards the end of his time at University 

 College he became House Surgeon to Mr. (afterwards Sir John) Erichsen, and 

 House Physician to Dr. Walshe. It was more especially while he was House 

 Surgeon that his attention became concentrated on the calamitous results 

 which followed wounds, both operative and accidental, and the terrible cases 

 which he had to deal with riveted his attention, even at that early period, on 

 the subject to which he afterwards devoted the best part of his life. 



After he had finished his studies at University College, and before deciding 

 on his future career, he was advised by Dr. Sharpey to visit Edinburgh and 

 see the practice of Prof. Syme, who was then one of the most distinguished 

 surgeons of the age. Towards the end of 1852, therefore, he went to 

 Edinburgh on what he intended to be a short visit. In Edinburgh he very 

 quickly became an ardent admirer of Prof. Syme, who exercised upon him an 

 influence and fascination which were never lost. He constantly quoted 

 Mr. Syme's work and opinions up to the very end of his active surgical 

 work. At first he was simply a visitor in Mr. Syme's wards, but in order 

 to acquire more familiarity with his work and views, he became a dresser, 



I 2 



