Cited by 6Medical History and InnovationsHistory of Medical PracticeHistory of Science and Medicine

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 9 of the 9 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 11 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Biographical Sketch: Baron Joseph Lister, FRCS, 1827-1912

Open access
Brand, Richard A.·2010·Clinical Orthopaedics & Related Research

Abstract

This biographical sketch on Baron Joseph Lister corresponds to the historic text, The Classic: On the Antiseptic Principle in the Practice of Surgery (1867), available at DOI 10.1007/s11999-010-1320-x .

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This biographical sketch recounts the life of Baron Joseph Lister (1827–1912) and his development of antiseptic surgery using carbolic acid. It provides historical context for Lister’s 1867 classic paper “On the Antiseptic Principle in the Practice of Surgery.”

Key findings

  • Lister was born in Upton, Essex, England, on April 5, 1827, and died in Walmer, Kent, in February 1912 at age 84.
  • He was appointed Professor at the Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, in 1860; returned to Edinburgh in 1869; accepted the Chair in Clinical Surgery at King’s College, London, in 1877; and retired in 1893.
  • His first attempt with carbolic acid in March 1865 was unsuccessful, but subsequent trials exceeded his expectations; he later used a 1-to-20 watery solution for rendering skin and hands aseptic throughout 40 years of practice.
  • The paper credits Lister’s antiseptic principles with making surgery practical, stating that perhaps no other single development was so important for surgery other than anesthesia.

Methods

  • Design: biographical and historical sketch of Joseph Lister, corresponding to the reproduced classic text on the antiseptic principle.
  • Data: biographical details, quotations from Lister’s writings, and references to secondary sources such as Bonnin and LeFanu and Lister’s own publications.
  • Analysis: narrative synthesis of Lister’s life, career, and antiseptic methods; no formal quantitative or systematic analysis is reported.

Limitations

  • The paper states no limitations.
  • Evident from the text: as a biographical sketch, it is narrative and selective, relying on secondary sources and quotations rather than primary archival research or systematic historical analysis.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1007/s11999-010-1319-3

Cites

9 of 9 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

0 of 11 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Findingcitation
    § Abstract

    Lister's work was not limited to clinical experiments, but was complemented with various sorts of bench experiments.

    “His work was not limited to clinical experiments, but rather was complemented with various sorts of bench experiments [6].”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [6]

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Findingreasoning
    § Abstract

    By the late 60s, Lister was performing primary operations on bone using the same principles of dressing, since in effect he was converting a closed fracture to an open one.

    “By the late 60s, he was performing primary operations on bone using the same principles of dressing, since in effect he was converting a closed fracture to an open one.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Findingcitation
    § Abstract

    Lister began using the purified crystalline form when after some experimentation he found if diluted in about 20 parts water it was 'exceedingly potent as an antiseptic'.

    “He also began using the purified crystalline form when after some experimentation he found if diluted in about 20 parts water it was ''exceedingly potent as an antiseptic'' [7].”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [7]

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Findingcitation
    § Abstract

    Lister extended his work to 'purifying' the skin not only of the patient, but the surgeon.

    “He extended his work to ''purifying'' the skin not only of the patient, but the surgeon [7].”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [7]

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 9
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 7
  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Findingnone given
    § Abstract

    Lister initially applied his aseptic method to compound fractures (which most likely would have become infected) and to abscesses which were already infected.

    “Lister initially applied his aseptic method to compound fractures (which most likely would have become infected) and to abscesses which were already infected.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Findingcitation
    § Abstract

    In that article, Lister describes the background of his work as the decomposition of organic substances.

    “In that article, he describes the background of his work: the decomposition of organic substances.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [4]

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Findingcitation
    § Abstract

    Lister published 'On a New Method of Treating Compound Fracture, Abscess, Etc.' some months earlier than 'On the Antiseptic Principle in the Practice of Surgery'.

    “He had in fact published another paper, ''On a New Method of Treating Compound Fracture, Abscess, Etc.With Observations on the Conditions of Suppuration'' some months earlier [4].”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [4]

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Findingcitation
    § Abstract

    Lister's advance was subject to great criticism, and slow to be introduced in most places.

    “Lister's advance, as many others, was subject to great criticism, and slow to be introduced in most places [1].”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [1]

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Findingcitation
    § Abstract

    Lister's first attempt at using carbolic acid was in March 1865 and was unsuccessful due to improper management, but subsequent trials more than realized his anticipations.

    “His first attempt was in March 1865 and, as he noted, it was unsuccessful: ''in consequence, as I now believe, of improper management; but subsequent trials have more than realized my most sanguine anticipations.''”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [4]

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.

    Findingcitation
    § Abstract

    Joseph Lister was born in Upton, Essex, England, on April 5, 1827, into a prosperous Quaker family.

    “Joseph Lister was born in Upton, Essex, England, on April 5, 1827, into a prosperous Quaker family [2].”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [2]

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Findingcitation
    § Abstract

    Believing the offending organisms came from the air, Lister extended his techniques to saturate the air with a carbolic acid spray.

    “However, believing the offending organisms came from the air, he extended his techniques to saturate the air with a carbolic acid spray [1].”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [1]

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.

    Findingcitation
    § Abstract

    Many years later, Lister further justified the use of a paste because he believed the admixture of pus and carbolic acid important, and in a wound with little pus, the paste would serve the purpose of a retained admixture.

    “Many years later [6], Lister further justified the use of a paste because he believed the admixture of pus and carbolic acid important, and in a wound with little pus, the paste would serve the purpose of a retained admixture.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [6]

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.

    Findingcitation
    § Abstract

    In 1883, Queen Victoria elevated Lister to the peerage, and in 1897 he was given the title Lord Lister of Lyme Regis.

    “In 1883, Queen Victoria elevated him to the peerage and in 1897 he was given the title Lord Lister of Lyme Regis [3].”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [3]

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim. It may be too vague to check against evidence. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. The paper may give no reason why it holds. It may state two separate claims as one.

    Interpretationnone given
    § Abstract

    Lister's principles of aseptic surgery made surgery practical, and perhaps no other single development was so important for surgery other than anesthesia.

    “The influence and importance of Lister's work cannot be understated: his principles of aseptic surgery made surgery practical, and perhaps no other single development was so important for surgery other than anesthesia.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Interpretationreasoning
    § Abstract

    Lister recognized the process of decaying garbage was essentially the same as that for decaying (putrefying) tissue, and presumed a chemical that would prevent the odor of decomposition might serve as a powerful antiseptic.

    “He recognized the process of decaying garbage was essentially the same as that for decaying (putrefying) tissue, and presumed a chemical that would prevent the odor of decomposition might serve as a powerful antiseptic.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim. It may be too vague to check against evidence. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. The paper may give no reason why it holds.

    Interpretationnone given
    § Abstract

    Lister apparently did not let the controversies interfere with his research.

    “Lister apparently did not let the controversies interfere with his research.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
12 of 12

Citations

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Metadata

Authors
Brand, R. A.
Affiliations
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research (US)
Corresponding author
Brand, Richard A.
Venue
Clinical Orthopaedics & Related Research
Published
2010-08
Volume
468
Issue
8
Pages
2009-2011
ISSN
0009-921X (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2083251708
Cited by
6
References
9
Citations by year
2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2015: 1
FWCI
8.02
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History › Medical History and Innovations
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › History of Medical Practice
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › History of Science and Medicine
Keywords
Joseph Lister, antiseptic surgery, history of surgery, history of orthopedics
MeSH terms
Anti-Infective Agents, Local, Humans, General Surgery, Surgical Wound Infection, History, 19th Century, History, 20th Century

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

A language model drew the claims from the paper on 2026-10-30, under version 3 of the claim definition (model deepseek-v4.1-flash, prompt extract-v3).

A second model labelled each claim on 2026-10-30 (model jev-1.13-20260917, definition revision gold-guideline-v0.2).

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review