Public Health Then and Now
Innovations in Health Care: Antisepsis as a Case Study by Elaine Larson,RN, PhD.
1.Trace the Historical development of the Concept and Practice of Asepsis?
A Hungarian obstetrician, recognized the importance of person-to-person transmission of infectious agents and effected dramatic reductions in puerperal mortality by requiring antiseptic hand washing. Lister, a Scottish surgeon, was the first physician to apply the germ theory to clinical practice and developed the techniques of antiseptic surgery and wound care, resulting in dramatic reductions in surgical mortality. Nightingale, a British nurse pioneer sanitary reforms in hospitals, schools, and military camps in England and abroad, by incorporating high levels of environmental and personal hygiene. These reforms were also succeeded by dramatic reductions in mortality.
2.What is the concept of Hygiene and Antisepsis?
3.What was the cause of Puerperal Fever?
Puerperal fever was cause by group A streptococcus.
3.Who were affected? Pregnant women who died in childbirth.
4 What were the symptoms of the disease? Symptoms of the disease were shivering, profuse perspiration and severe pain in the abdomen, rapid pulse also a sense of confusion and the skin was dry and hot.
5 What sign of the disease were identify at autopsy?
The signs identified were profound sepsis, pus and extravasated serum the cavity of the abdomen,and a yellowish fetid liquor mixed with pus were found in the cavity of the abdomen and pelvis.
6 Who purported the germ theory and what did he say?
7 How did Charles White deal with Puerperal Fever?
He began disinfecting wards with chlorine gas and chloride of lime.
8 What was the belief of Puerperal Fever?
It was believed that puerperal Fever was in the nature of things and to large extend beyond the control of the medical profession. It also said to have been cause by the women’s behavior.
9 Which patients were more likely to get the disease?
The