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Dr. Robert Liston and the 300% Mortality Surgery

  • Writer: FibonacciMD
    FibonacciMD
  • a few seconds ago
  • 2 min read

Updated: 2 hours ago

The Speed Surgeon: Robert Liston’s Innovative Practice and Infamous Blunder

Medical Trivia


Dr. Robert Liston
Dr. Robert Liston

Dr. Robert Liston (or Mr. Robert Liston, as surgeons were referred to in England) was born on October 28, 1794, and became one of the leading surgeons in London.  He had a 10% mortality rate compared to other surgeons, where 40% was the average. He was ahead of his time, and long before it became standard practice, he washed his hands and instruments, wore clean aprons, and shaved surgical sites. 


Later in his career, he was the first surgeon in Europe to use general anesthesia, and he was also known for inventing new surgical techniques and instruments.  


Prior to the use of anesthesia, the fastest surgeons were considered the best, as it decreased the time the patient was in pain and the amount of blood loss.  Liston was one of the fastest, performing amputations in as little as 30 seconds.  In fact, his catchphrase in the operating room to medical students holding stopwatches was, “Time me, gentlemen, time me!”.  Unfortunately, that hubris and speed occasionally got him and his patients into trouble. 


His most infamous operation was one where three people died.  During one of his speed amputations he managed to cut off some of his assistant’s fingers and also cut the tailcoat a bystander was wearing.  According to reports, the patient and the assistant later died from infection, and the bystander, who apparently thought he had been stabbed, dropped dead from shock right in the operating room.  Thus, Dr. Liston, despite all his success, also became known for having the only recorded 300% mortality surgery in history. 



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The intense focus and breakneck speed required to perform a 30-second amputation would surely demand a surgeon's full attention. While Liston didn't have access to modern energy, you can fuel your own focus while reading history's most fascinating tales with a robust cup of Bulletproof Breakfast Blend Coffee. [https://amzn.to/47YytXH]


The history of medicine is full of dramatic life-or-death tales. For another gripping survival tale, read The Wager by David Grann. A gripping historical non-fiction account of survival and high-stakes drama. [https://amzn.to/4rclx9I]


If you enjoy immersing yourself in rich historical settings like 19th-century London, the Tudor period explored in the historical fiction novel Dark Fire by C.J. Sansom offers a similarly fascinating look at a pivotal time in British history. [https://amzn.to/3X0uCVd]




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initially posted 5/2024

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