Question

Before Joseph Lister was inspired by Pasteur's germ theory to perform sterile operations, doctors A thought bacterial infection was part of the body's healing process. thought bacterial infection was part of the body's healing process. B harmed more patients with infections than they helped with surgery. harmed more patients with infections than they helped with surgery. C didn't have surgical instruments that could be boiled. didn't have surgical instruments that could be boiled. D refused to perform surgery on patients with infections.

Answer 1

B. harmed more patients with infections than they helped with surgery.

Step-by-step explanation:

Before Joseph Lister was inspired by Pasteur's germ theory to perform sterile operations, doctors harmed more patients with infections than they helped with surgery.

This was because doctors didn't do enough to prevent the spread of bacteria through surgical equipment and in the end they ended up causing more problems for their patients than the help they gave.

Prior to Joseph Lister's sterilisation which was influenced by Pasteur's germ theory, surgeons were unhygienic and didn't wash their hands or change their clothing before surgery which made infections after surgery widespread.