Who encouraged surgeons to wear surgical gloves?

• A. Berkeley Moyniham
• B. Robert Koch
• C. William Halsted
• D. Gustav Neuber

Answer: (C)

Wearing gloves in surgery was part of adopting aseptic practices to prevent infection. William Halsted introduced and popularized the use of rubber gloves in the operating room in the 1890s at Johns Hopkins. The move was sparked when his scrub nurse, Caroline Hampton, requested gloves to protect her hands, and Halsted’s broader commitment to sterile technique helped make gloves a standard part of surgical practice. This shift reduced contamination and set a new norm for protecting both patient and staff during operations. Other figures, like Gustav Neuber who advanced sterile operating environments, Berkeley Moynihan who promoted surgical hygiene, and Robert Koch who identified pathogens, contributed to infection control but did not specifically promote the use of gloves in surgery.