The demonstration by Liston of anesthesia in many ways was the moment that modern surgery was born. Liston was the epitome of the old surgery which was an agoni

The demonstration by Liston of anesthesia in many ways was the moment that modern surgery was born. Liston was the epitome of the old surgery which was an agonizing, hurried, dirty, last ditch effort to save a life. Anesthesia could get rid of the agony and hurry. However, surgery was still a very deadly enterprise due to infection. In the audience watching the demonstration, was a young man named Joseph Lister. Lister would pioneer the practice of antiseptic (which would evolve into aseptic) surgery. Anesthesia and asepsis are the foundations of modern surgery. The passing of the baton from Liston to Lister is the birth of modern surgery.