EPISODE · Feb 5, 2022 · 22 MIN
Taking a Stab at Victorian-Era Surgery
from The Victorian Variety Show · host marisa d
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: [email protected] 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!
What this episode covers
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: [email protected] 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!
NOW PLAYING
Taking a Stab at Victorian-Era Surgery
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
Dec 5, 2025 ·50m
Oct 9, 2025 ·33m
Oct 3, 2025 ·40m
Sep 11, 2025 ·31m
Aug 27, 2025 ·39m
Aug 18, 2025 ·54m