Glasgow has a great medical heritage, with many pioneers of fundamental medical practices having worked in the city. One such pioneer is Joseph Lister, whose ground-breaking work into the antiseptic principle took place at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary during the 1860s. For years the practice of medicine had yet to overcome the barrier of post-operative wound infection, with many patients dying from blood poisoning due to the presence of germs in the environment. Lister's work not only helped to prove the germ theory, but also how to stop those germs from killing patients.
In this exhibition we explore Lister's life, work, and legacy in Glasgow and beyond.
