asepsis
- n (of non-living objects) the state of being free of pathogenic organisms
- n the process of inhibiting the growth and multiplication of microorganisms
- Lord Lister, father of antisepsis and asepsis, knew this almost a century ago, and tried soaking his sutures in phenol (carbolic acid) to make them active as germ killers.
- In the 100 years since Lister discovered asepsis, practitioners have hopefully tried phenol, boric acid, picric acid, iodoform, tannic acid, sulfa drugs and ACTH, only to wind up .
- The atmosphere is one of surgical asepsis, and each room is as clean and functional as the inside of a clock.