Medical gloves prevent the transfer of microorganisms between medical professionals and patients. This protective measure is now standard in every medical procedure, fundamentally changing the safety and efficacy of patient care. The origin of the glove dates to the late 19th century, when surgical practices were rapidly evolving due to high rates of infection. Initially, the glove solved a specific problem for one individual, but its potential as a universal safeguard was not immediately recognized.
Pre-Glove Context: The Need for Asepsis
Before the late 1800s, surgical patients faced a high probability of developing sepsis. Germ theory was still emerging, and many surgeons operated in street clothes without understanding microbial transmission. In the mid-19th century, physician Ignaz Semmelweis challenged prevailing practices. In the 1840s, Semmelweis demonstrated that compelling doctors to wash their hands in a chlorinated lime solution drastically reduced mortality from puerperal fever, though his findings initially met resistance.
In the 1860s, English surgeon Joseph Lister applied Louis Pasteur’s work to surgical wounds. Lister introduced antiseptic surgery, using carbolic acid to spray instruments and dressings to kill microbes. This lowered post-operative infection rates but required personnel to immerse their hands in harsh chemical disinfectants, such as carbolic acid and mercuric chloride. Although antiseptic measures were a significant step forward, the resulting severe skin irritation and chemical burns created a new problem for operating room staff.
The Pioneering Invention and Initial Adoption
The medical glove was invented at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1889. The person responsible was Dr. William Halsted, the hospital’s first surgeon-in-chief. Halsted’s motivation was not primarily patient protection, but protecting his scrub nurse, Caroline Hampton, who suffered from debilitating contact dermatitis. Her hands were severely irritated by the strong antiseptic solutions, particularly mercuric chloride, used for daily hand disinfection.
To address this occupational injury, Halsted approached the Goodyear Rubber Company to create thin, custom-fitted rubber gloves. These first surgical gloves were intended purely as a protective barrier for the nurse’s skin against the caustic chemicals. Halsted initially requested two pairs for Hampton. The gloves were made of thin rubber, designed to be worn during operations to shield the hands from the disinfectant.
The initial use of the gloves was limited to a few staff members experiencing similar skin issues. Surgeons themselves were often reluctant to wear them, believing the rubber impaired their tactile sensitivity and dexterity during delicate procedures. For a short period, the gloves functioned as personal protective equipment for the staff, disconnected from the broader goal of patient safety.
Evolution from Staff Protection to Aseptic Standard
The realization that gloves served a function far beyond staff protection occurred over the next decade. Halsted’s resident, Dr. Joseph Colt Bloodgood, began regularly using the rubber gloves during operations starting in 1892, particularly for hernia repairs. He observed that when the entire surgical team wore the rubber barriers, the rate of post-operative infections in patients dropped significantly.
In 1899, Dr. Bloodgood published a report detailing his findings, showing an almost 100% decline in post-operative infections among patients who underwent surgery with gloved hands. This data provided compelling evidence that the gloves were acting as a crucial barrier, preventing the transfer of microbes from the surgeon’s hands to the open wound. This observation fundamentally shifted the glove’s purpose, transforming it from a chemical shield into a necessary aseptic tool.
The ability of the rubber material to be steam-sterilized and reused further solidified its place in the operating room protocol. Surgeons adopted the practice widely, recognizing that the glove was an indispensable part of creating a sterile field. The rubber glove, conceived to protect a single nurse from dermatitis, became a mandatory component of surgical attire and a key element in the transition from antiseptic to modern aseptic surgery.