MovieChat Forums > Mercy Street (2016) Discussion > How did ANYONE survive surgery?? (SPOILE...

How did ANYONE survive surgery?? (SPOILER)


Well, not really a spoiler, but S01E03 (with the leg coming off) is really making me think, How did anyone get out of surgery uninfected in those days?? I don't see them boiling any instruments, and there's no disinfectant in sight.

Was it like a 50/50 survival rate...or even lower?

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The survival rate was higher, almost 70%. Infections, while common weren't always fatal. The site of the wound being the primary factor in survival. Any wound to the trunk of the body was invariably always fatal, head wounds were rarely even bothered with.

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Thanks. : )

Do you mean head wounds healed on their own and were ignored....or just beyond even trying to fix?

There was SO MUCH dirt back then! I don't think they used screened windows, and there was coal dust. And since there weren't vacuums people did the best they could. Bedbugs and other vermin were present, too.

I'm surprised all the surgery patients didn't just rot! But I guess the human body DOES have a good built in immune system for battling infection on it's own...


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There was no air conditioning either that would reduce bacteria from growing on instruments eit
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Famous diarist Samuel Pepys, underwent surgery to remove kidney stones, around 1670 -- surgery before the invention of anaesthetic. He survived, without aftereffects.

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I just had surgery last week to remove kidney stones and even being knocked out and on sting pain killers I was still dying lol. Cannot imagine surviving that without anesthesia!

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I think they may have been more resistant to different infections and strains, built up immunity. I read some research on immunities- Now we have so many antibacterial and disinfectant products that it's almost like things are over sanitized. The different viruses/strains have developed a resistance to sanitary measures in some cases , making us more exposed

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