Who is known as the "father of antiseptic surgery" from the 19th century?

Joseph Lister is recognized as the "father of antiseptic surgery" due to his pioneering work in promoting the use of antiseptics in the operating room. In the late 19th century, he introduced the practice of sterilizing surgical instruments and cleansing the surgical site with carbolic acid (phenol) to prevent wound infections. Lister's research was significantly influenced by Louis Pasteur’s germ theory, which proposed that microorganisms were responsible for infections.

Lister's techniques greatly reduced surgical mortality rates and transformed the practice of surgery into a much safer discipline. His emphasis on cleanliness and the use of antiseptics laid the foundation for modern surgical practices and infection control measures, making him a pivotal figure in medical history.

Other figures like Louis Pasteur, with his work on germ theory, Ignaz Semmelweis, known for promoting hand hygiene to reduce puerperal fever, and Robert Koch, who established methods to identify infectious agents, made significant contributions to medicine, but they did not focus specifically on the antiseptic techniques used during surgical procedures.