[Antiseptics in Germany. The formation of surgical knowledge 1872-1892]

The paper deals with the impact of antisepsis on German surgery between 1872 and 1892. It describes the acceptance of Lister's treatment as the result of a therapeutic mass experiment. In the face of tremendous mortality rates in the surgical wards of general and larger academic hospitals, the evidence persuaded the critics within only few years, wile the discussion on theoretical questions was intentionally avoided. The author suggests to reconsider the impact of bacteriology on modern surgery and to put more emphasis on professional and social developments, and on the role of evidence in hospital medicine.