Antiseptic facts for kids
An antiseptic is a special substance. You put it on cuts or scrapes on your skin. Its job is to kill tiny living things called germs. This stops your wound from getting infected and helps it heal.
Some common antiseptics are alcohol, iodine, and certain mercury compounds. Antiseptics are not the same as antibiotics. You only use antiseptics on your skin. Antibiotics can go inside your body, like through your blood or lymphatic systems, to fight infections.
Antiseptics are also different from disinfectants. Disinfectants are used only on things that are not alive, like countertops or tools. They are too strong and can be harmful if used on living skin.
Who Discovered Antiseptics?
The idea of using antiseptics in operations became popular thanks to a doctor named Joseph Lister. In 1867, he published an important paper called Antiseptic Principle of the Practice of Surgery.
Lister was inspired by the work of Louis Pasteur. Pasteur had shown that tiny germs could cause things to rot. Lister thought these same germs could cause infections in wounds during surgery.
In his paper, Lister suggested using carbolic acid, also known as phenol, to kill germs during operations. This new method greatly reduced the number of infections and saved many lives.
Images for kids
See also
In Spanish: Antiséptico para niños
