Surgery was a bloody and unsanitary business for much of the Victorian Era. I discuss some common practices of surgeons of the period, and describe the atmosphere in which they operated.
*****
References
Blazeski, Goran. “Robert Liston performed the only operation with a 300% mortality rate; His patient, his assistant and a spectator died.” https://www.thevintagenews.com/2016/12/05/robert-liston-performed-the-only-operation-with-a-300-mortality-rate-his-patient-his-assistant-and-a-spectator-died/?safari=1
“Ether and Chloroform.” https://www.history.com/topics/inventions/ether-and-chloroform
Fitzharris, Lindsey. The Butchering Art: Joseph Lister's Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine. Narrated by Ralph Lister. Audible, 2017. Audiobook.
Hewitt, D.G. “19 Unbelievable and Gruesome Facts about 19th Century Surgery.” https://historycollection.com/19-unbelievable-and-gruesome-facts-about-19th-century-surgery/11/
“John Snow.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Snow
Mayo Clinic. “MRSA infection.” https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mrsa/symptoms-causes/syc-20375336.
McNamara, Alexander. “Joseph Lister and the grim reality of Victorian surgery.” https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/joseph-lister-and-the-grim-reality-of-victorian-surgery/
Merryweather, Cheish. “10 Gruesome And Shocking Facts About Victorian Surgery.” https://listverse.com/2019/01/15/10-gruesome-and-shocking-facts-about-victorian-surgery/
Royal College of Surgeons of England. “History of the RCS.” https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/about-the-rcs/history-of-the-rcs/
Steampunk Tribune. “Medical doctors in the Victorian Era.” https://steampunktribune.com/medical-doctors-in-victorian-era/
Zhang, Sarah. “The Gruesome, Bloody World of Victorian Surgery.” https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/10/the-gruesome-bloody-world-of-victorian-surgery/543552/
*****
Email: thevictorianvarietyshow@gmail.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/victorianvarie1
Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13
I’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a moment to rate & review this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Goodpods, or wherever you listen, as that will help this podcast reach more listeners!
