History of antisepsis: Which substance was the first widely used hospital antiseptic/disinfectant in modern surgery?

Introduction:
Understanding milestones in infection control helps anchor why certain terms recur in exam questions. Joseph Lister famously introduced a chemical that transformed surgical outcomes in the 19th century.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Looking for the first widely used agent in hospitals.
• Focus on modern surgical antisepsis rather than ancient practices.

Concept / Approach:
Lister popularized carbolic acid (phenol) for wound dressing, instrument cleaning, and spray in operating theaters, dramatically reducing sepsis. Although chlorine and iodine have long histories in disinfection, phenol was the first chemical to be systematically applied in hospitals with documented surgical benefit and widespread adoption in that era.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Recall Lister's antiseptic technique. Match the chemical used: carbolic acid = phenol. Select phenol as the earliest widely used hospital antiseptic.

Verification / Alternative check:
Historical accounts and textbooks credit Lister (1860s) with the carbolic revolution, preceding broad hospital use of iodine or chlorinated disinfectants.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Chlorine/iodine/alcohol – important, but not the first widely used in operative antisepsis.

Formaldehyde – later used for fumigation/sterilization, not the earliest hospital standard.

Common Pitfalls:
Equating earliest discovery with first "widely used" in hospital surgery; phenol has that distinction.

Final Answer:
Phenol (carbolic acid).