opening of this narrative presents an overview of the state of surgery prior to the advent of antiseptic wound treatment, illustrating the dire conditions that plagued medical practice. Küster begins by outlining the lack of reliable surgical methods and the high rates of infection and mortality that characterized hospitals in the past. He highlights the medical advancements brought about by key figures in the 19th century, such as Joseph Lister, whose introduction of antiseptic techniques revolutionized surgical practices. This section serves as a foundation for understanding how these innovations dramatically transformed patient care and surgical outcomes in Germany. (This is an automatically generated summary.)