TIL a surgeon named Robert Liston performed a surgery that had a 300% mortality rate. He amputated his patient's leg in under 2 and a half minutes who died from gangrene, amputated his assistant's fingers who also died from gangrene, and cut the coat tails of a spectator, who died from shock.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Liston#Liston's_most_famous_case
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1emhswb/til_a_surgeon_named_robert_liston_performed_a/
@todayilearned If you read the Wikipedia entry you'll see that there are no primary sources for that story (but he did advocate speed and was proud to be able to amputate a leg in 2½ minutes).
Joseph Lister was one of his students.