Urgical gloves have been used in operating rooms for over 100 years. The idea of surgical gloves originated from maternity wards in late 18th century. The origin of rubber can be traced back to 16 century when natives of Haiti played a game with a ball made from the gum of a tree.
Urgical gloves have been used in operating rooms for over 100 years. The idea of surgical gloves originated from maternity wards in late 18th century. The origin of rubber can be traced back to 16 century when natives of Haiti played a game with a ball made from the gum of a tree.
Urgical gloves have been used in operating rooms for over 100 years. The idea of surgical gloves originated from maternity wards in late 18th century. The origin of rubber can be traced back to 16 century when natives of Haiti played a game with a ball made from the gum of a tree.
S urgical gloves have been used in operating rooms for over 100 years. The use of surgical gloves is Gutta percha and patented in 1848 through both US and British patent offices. universal. The surgical gloves have evolved over last two centuries to Around the same period across the the present day situation. The story world in Europe heavy rubber of surgical gloves is of intrigue and gloves were in use. In 1838 in romance Middlesex Hospital in London. Sir Thomas Watson used rubber gloves The idea of surgical gloves to protect mother during deliveries. originated from maternity wards in On same continent in Germany late 18th century. The first recorded heavy rubber gloves were being use of gloves was in 1758 by J.J. used for autopsies and eventually Walbaum a German physician. lead to introduction of use of gloves These were used for vaginal during surgery. examinations and deliveries. History of gloves is incomplete Further progress was made half a without mentioning the develop- century latter when in 1834 ment of rubber which is used in Semmelwis in his article “ Highly production of surgical gloves. The Important observations on the origin of rubber can be traced back th etiology of puerperal fever to 16 century when natives of Haiti epidemic in lying in hospitals” had played a game with a ball made presented forceful evidence that from the gum of a tree. In 1791 the contagion could be spread by first commercial application of health care workers, even while they rubber was initiated when an were attending to standard English Manufacturer, Samuel Peal operating procedure in mortuary patented a method of water and delivery suite. proofing cloth by treating it with a solution of rubber in turpentine. The New Jersey Physician, Richard F rubber used in England at that time Cooke in 1834 suggested that “ a came from India and the term pair of India rubber gloves would be “Indian Rubber” was widely used. perfectly impenetrable to the most malignant virus”. This became the The accidental discovery by basis of gloves used for protection American Enterpreuner Charles of hands during postmortem Goodyear changed the course of examination These were made of history. For years Goodyear tried to
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make rubber that would not be using gloves for Miss Hampton and affected by the temperature. One the Goodyear rubber company to day Goodyear accidently spilled a manufacture some. The original mixture of rubber and sulphur on a gloves had long sleeves that came hot stove. When he removed it. He up to the elbow, and Miss Hampton found that the rubber could be found them an immediate success. stretched and was not gummy. He When Halstead offered her the thin found that in order to make a rubber rubber gloves “ laughing impishly” manufacture you need to add an that Caroline Hampton had kind rubber, sulphur and intense heat. In of prophetic fit , exclaiming. 1844 he had his discovery patented. The process was called “They are not for me alone. This is a vulcanization after the roman God true salvation for all the surgeons of fire. and nurses of the world”.
In 1878 Thomas Forster an A colleague of W. Halstead put it
employee of the India Rubber Works “Venus came to aid of Aesculapius” in England obtained a patent to This episode of history ended in make surgical gloves from marriage of Halstead to Hampton vulcanized rubber. and contributed enormously to surgical practice in form of The discovery in winter of 1889 and introduction of surgical gloves. 1890 changed surgical practice for ever. The great surgeon of all times In this piece of history the role of William Halstead made another Joseph Bloodgood cannot be over invaluable contribution to surgical looked. One of the disciples of technique. Dr Halstead’s operating William Halstead at John Hopkins room nurse Miss Caroline Hampton Hospital, J Blood good reported the developed an eczema of the “results criteria” in showing the delicate skin on her hands from patient benefit sustained by the repeated plunging into carbolic practice of gloving entire surgical acid and bichloride of mercury. team, to which he attributed a Halstead fancied her so to protect dramatic reduction in infection rate her hands he tried painting her From 1893 after Bloodgood’s hands with collodion but this failed reported surgical gloves for entire because the collodion covering surgical team became an universal would split when the fingers practice. A year later in 1894 a contracted. William Welch was Gynaecology resident Hunter Robb employing in his autopsy work a was the first person to publish a pair of heavy rubber gloves from book. “Aseptic surgical technique” Germany. When Halstead saw recommending operator wear them, he immediately thought of gloves.
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Like every change, this development become a more flexible better also faced resistance from the fitting, brown milled” item made surgeons. The rear guard took up from a solution of rubber cement. the fight. Rather ingenious Single use latex gloves debuted in experiments were undertaken to 1958 and were widely adopted by prove that gloves were more a late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Their hindrance than a help in surgical acceptance was doubt hastened in care. Three blind girls reading 1970 when hospitals become Braille showed that rubber gloves subject to minimum wage laws, a impaired the sense of touch. Over more that made the maintenance of time, the resistance was short lived reusable mits – a laborious process when the minimal impairment to carried out by nurses – too surgical touch was compared with expensive to perpetuate. the considerable greater advantage in decreased surgical infection rate. Initially the gloves were intended to Especially for those surgeons protect hands of operator. The brought up under a new era of purpose has expanded to protect gloved dexterity, it become second patient as well as staff. Surgical nature and no loss was gloves provide a barriers to experienced. transmission of infection. Modern innovations have been developed From late nineteenth century the as use of gloves with perforation surgical gloves have been adopted indicator systems, and gloves with universally. In Britain, surgical liners. The dexterity has increased gloves were first used by Lynn with improved quality of gloves. Thomas a Cardiff surgeon in 1905. In future we hope to see further Gloves evolved in the following developments in objectives and decades; the heavy, tough, reusable quality of surgical gloves. rubber coverings had by the 1930’s
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HISTORICAL TIME LINE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF SURGICAL GLOVESw
1758 Obstetric “glove” made from caecum
J J Walbaum of a sheep
1834 Richard F. Cooke “A pair of India rubber should be
Hoboke, New Jersey perfectly impenetrable to the most malignant virus”.
1835 Charles Goodyear Initiated research that stumbled into
vulcanization of rubber.
1838 Sir Thomas Watson. Rubber gloves to protect mother
during deliveries; “one such glove sacrificed to the safety of the mother” = disposable.
1848 W.Acton Gutta-percha gloves to protect hands
during post-mortem – British and US patent Offices.
1878 T.Forster “Manufacturer of Gloves for Surgical
operations”
1889 W.S. halsted The “Caroline Hamptom Story” and
the Goodyear Company.
1893 J.G. Bloodgood Gloved all members of surgical team.
1894 H.H. Robb. Published book Asrptic surgical
Technique recom-mending operator wear gloves.
1897 Zoeg von Manteuffel Published report on rubber gloved to
protect surgeons’ hands from antiseptics and the infected materialof septic drainage.
1897-Mikulicz Cotton gloves for the all participants
but operator. Leather gloves fot operator.
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References 1. Spirling LI, Daniels IR. William Stewart 3. Zdravković D, Bilanović D, Dikić S, Halsted--surgeon extraordinaire: a Zdravković M, Milinić NMed Pregl. story of drugs, gloves and romance'R 2007 Jul-Aug;60(7-8):405- Soc Promot Health. 2002 Jun; 8.William Stewart Halsted--110 years 122(2):122-4 of the use of surgical gloves. 07Jul- 2. Germain MA The advent of surgical Aug;60(7-8):405-8. glovesAnn Chir. 2003 Sep;128 (7): 4. Geelhoed GW. The pre-Halstedian 475-80. Tewari.m . 'The professor', and post-Halstedian history of the william steward: A legend.indian jsurg surgical rubber glove. Surg Gynecol 2004;66:232-3 Obstet. 1988 Oct;167(4):350-6.