Sepsis in surgery. Presidential address.

Infection has always been a prominent feature of human life, and sepsis in modern surgery continues to be a significant health problem throughout the world. For this reason, the Surgical Infection Society has been formed and is holding its first meeting here today. It is appropriate that we review the history of sepsis in surgery throughout the ages. Surgery's progress resembles a long river, which is fed by tributary streams that join it at irregular intervals to swell its body, increase its depth, quicken its current, and extend its influence. Before 1800, tributaries were relatively uncommon, but since then a steady inflow of developments of historic significance have swollen the stream of surgical progress. Among these should be considered the following: Hippocrates, "The Father of Medicine," in 400 BC wrote clear descriptions of many conditions, including obvious infections such as gas gangrene and staphylococcal lesions.1 Curiously enough, however, Hippocrates

[1]  W. Altemeier,et al.  Changing patterns in surgical infections. , 1973 .

[2]  R. Linker,et al.  Ten Books of Surgery , 1972 .

[3]  W. Altemeier The significance of infection in trauma. , 1972, AORN journal.

[4]  W. Altemeier Control of wound infection. , 1966, Journal of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

[5]  B. B. Roe,et al.  Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage, Technical and Physiological Considerations , 1964 .

[6]  W. Altemeier The problem of postoperative wound infection and its significance. , 1958, Annals of surgery.

[7]  J J PERKINS,et al.  [Principles and methods of sterilization]. , 1957, Het Ziekenhuiswezen.

[8]  L. Norbury The Hunterian Era: Its Influence on the Art and Science of Surgery* , 1953, British medical journal.

[9]  W. Wood,et al.  PENICILLIN IN THE TREATMENT OF INFECTIONS: A REPORT OF 500 CASES , 1943 .

[10]  P. H. Kreuscher The treatment of fresh wounds , 1941 .

[11]  N. G. Heatley,et al.  Penicillin as a Chemotherapeutic Agent , 1940 .

[12]  L. Colebrook,et al.  TREATMENT OF HUMAN PUERPERAL INFECTIONS, AND OF EXPERIMENTAL INFECTIONS IN MICE, WITH PRONTOSIL , 1936 .

[13]  G. Domagk Eine neue Klasse von Desinfektionsmitteln , 1935 .

[14]  A. Fleming,et al.  On the antibacterial action of cultures of a penicillium, with special reference to their use in the isolation of B. influenzæ , 1929 .

[15]  J. Lister ON A NEW METHOD OF TREATING COMPOUND FRACTURE, ABSCESS, ETC.: WITH OBSERVATIONS ON THE CONDITIONS OF SUPPURATION , 1927 .

[16]  Duncan Jm The Father of Medicine , 1876, Edinburgh medical journal.

[17]  J. Lister Illustrations of the Antiseptic System of Treatment in Surgery , 1867 .

[18]  J. Lister On the Antiseptic Principle in the Practice of Surgery* , 1867, British medical journal.

[19]  James Miller A System of Surgery , 1864, The British and foreign medico-chirurgical review.

[20]  J. Paget The Address in Surgery , 1862 .

[21]  Altemeier Wa,et al.  Studies in virulence of Clostridium welchii. , 1949 .

[22]  T. Schwann,et al.  Mikroskopische Üntersuchungen über die Übereinstimmung in der Struktur und dem Wachstume der Tiere und Pflanzen , 1911, Nature.