'Hibiscrub' antiseptic hand wash, Macclesfield, England, 1996
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One way of preventing the spread of hospital infections is by using an antiseptic hand wash. Hand washing is not just the responsibility of hospital staff but visitors too. This hand wash is also used as an antiseptic on patients’ skin in an attempt to limit MRSA infections. MRSA is resistant to an increasingly large number of antibiotics and can be difficult to treat once inside the patient’s body.
Object number:
1997-1635
Related Themes and Topics
Glossary:
Glossary: antiseptic handwash
No description.
Glossary: antisepsis
The practice of using antiseptic drugs to eliminate harmful micro-organisms.
Glossary: antibiotic
A substance that is used to treat infections.
Glossary: Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus
Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is a dangerous bacterium that is becoming increasingly common. It is resistant to known antibiotics and so is difficult to treat. Hospital patients are at particular risk of infection, as a result of a weakened immune systems or open wounds. Initial symptoms include small red bumps, which develop into painful boils.
Glossary: immune
To be protected against infectious disease.