| If I asked you to picture a surgeon in your mind's | | | | employed in the operating room. By the 1940's, |
| eye, you almost certainly would picture an | | | | an increased understanding of operation sanitation |
| individual in medical scrubs (most likely white or | | | | motivated the introduction of sanitary drapes and |
| green scrubs), wearing a mask, etc. But it hasn't | | | | attire for the medical personnel. |
| always been that way. Medical scrubs are actually | | | | Originally, the scrubs were white, to emphasize |
| a relatively modern practice. | | | | and display their cleanliness. However, this |
| Until the 20th century, surgery was (compared to | | | | presented several problems. First of all, red blood |
| today's standards) a rather crude operation, which | | | | splotches were quite unsightly on white clothing. |
| did not really involve any sanitation, least of all | | | | Also, the all white clothing, when coupled with |
| anything like medical scrubs. Sterilization was not | | | | bright lighting, cause eye strain. So they began |
| even a consideration, because there was really no | | | | switching from white to green clothing. |
| understanding of how disease and germs spread. | | | | By the 1970's, scrubs had largely become what |
| Many scientists believed in spontaneous | | | | they are today: a short sleeve shirt and |
| generation, meaning that germs spontaneously | | | | drawstring pants, in most cases, made of green |
| generated from nothing. Little or no consideration | | | | cotton. |
| was given to basic sanitation, so the mortality | | | | All medical scrubs are not green, though. Many |
| rate was very high. | | | | hospitals color code their uniforms according to |
| Actually, many surgeons wore a butcher's apron, | | | | departments. For example, Emergency Room |
| and since they did not don a clean one between | | | | staff would wear pink, Surgery staff would wear |
| patients, it would become very soiled by blood | | | | green, and Labor and Delivery Room staff would |
| and fluids. So a dirty apron was just meant a | | | | wear blue. Or, in university hospitals, the staff |
| busy surgeon. | | | | may wear colors corresponding to the school |
| Around 1920, sanitation methods began to be | | | | colors. |