Joseph Lister

The human spirit, even in adversity, strives for recovery and well-being.

The beauty of a healthy body is a testament to the harmony of nature.

While death is inevitable, the manner of its arrival can be influenced by our care.

The great principle of the antiseptic system is to prevent the decomposition of organic substances, and thus to avoid the formation of putrefactive products which are the real cause of surgical diseases.

The essential cause of suppuration in wounds is decomposition, brought about by the influence of the atmosphere upon blood and other discharges.

If we can exclude the living organisms which cause decomposition, we shall prevent the putrefaction of wounds.

The atmosphere is not a simple gas, but contains living organisms which are the cause of putrefaction.

It is not the air itself, but the living organisms suspended in it, that cause putrefaction.

The success of the antiseptic system depends upon the complete exclusion of living organisms from the wound.

The surgeon's hands, instruments, and dressings must be rendered free from living organisms.

Carbolic acid is the most efficient agent for destroying these minute organisms.

The spray of carbolic acid is intended to purify the air surrounding the wound.

The idea that wounds heal better when exposed to the air is a fallacy.

Suppuration is not a necessary evil, but a preventable one.

The surgeon should aim to prevent suppuration, not merely to treat it.

The putrefaction of blood is the starting point of surgical diseases.

The germ theory of disease is not a mere speculation, but a scientific truth.

The success of antiseptic surgery is a direct proof of the germ theory.

Many diseases that were formerly considered inevitable are now preventable.

The surgeon's duty is not only to operate, but also to prevent infection.