About this artwork
The son of a microscopist, Joseph Lister became a famous surgeon and a great promoter of antiseptic surgery. After studying medicine in London, he moved to Edinburgh where he worked for another famous surgeon, Professor James Syme. In 1869 Lister was made professor of clinical surgery, a post he held until 1877. At the time, septic diseases such as gangrene caused high mortality rates among patients in the ever enlarging Victorian hospital wards. As well as promoting general cleanliness, Lister pioneered the idea of antiseptic dressing of wounds to prevent germs from entering. His attacks on traditional medicine in favour of a more scientific approach caused controversy amongst his colleagues. Nevertheless, he is now largely credited with the revolution in antiseptic surgery.
Updated before 2020
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artist:James Good Tunny (1820 - 1887) Scottish
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title:Joseph Lister, 1st Lord Lister, 1827 – 1912
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date created:About 1855
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materials:Albumen print
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measurements:16.20 x 12.00 cm
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object type:
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credit line:Purchased 1931
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accession number:PGP 64.4
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gallery:
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depicted:
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subject:
James Good Tunny
James Good Tunny
James Good Tunny first appears as a professional photographer in Edinburgh in the early 1850s, but he was one of the many who were swept by enthusiasm in 1839, on seeing the publication of Fox Talbot's photographic process, the calotype. He admired the work of Hill and Adamson and knew Hill...