Rubber Gloves: An Invention of Love

 by Anna Danso-Amoako

When thinking of modern surgery, no mental image can be considered complete without the hygienic equipment worn by practitioners. The tense atmosphere is complemented with the underlying characteristics of keeping a sterile environment however I would particularly like to focus on rubber surgical gloves.

Their conception was fairly recent in the great timeline of medical developments as they were created in 1889 by a prominent surgeon of the Johns Hopkins Hospital of the United States, William Stewart Halsted, who was also credited for the development of the surgical teaching methods. However the story behind the creation of the rubber gloves stems more out of love. Halsted worked long hours completing various procedures with his colleagues however he was made aware of the concerns of one of the nurses known as Caroline Hampton. Having disobeyed her wealthy family’s direct wishes to join nursing school, she was a well established colleague within his workspace. 

However despite her passion for the profession, a trait quietly observed from Halsted, she announced her intention of resigning in 1889. She struggled with dermatitis as a result of the stringent antiseptic procedures Halsted insisted on within the surgical practice. The chemicals used to clean her hands frequently throughout the day eventually took their toll. Rashes and eczema broke out on her hands causing her immense amounts of pain. 

Keen to provide a solution, Halsted thought to make a plaster cast of her hands which he sent to a manufacturing company to produce a pair of custom made gloves out of rubber to prevent the future damage of Hampton’s skin. These proved a resounding success with both her and the wider surgical team as a way of reducing irritation. A year later, after bonding over the intricacies of surgeries and anatomy, they married and remained so until Halsted’s death.

Whilst this discovery was designed for reducing occupational dermatitis, it also importantly acted as a way to reduce the infection during surgery. However, there was initial backlash after rubber gloves were proposed to be used during operations. Seasoned surgeons argued on the principle that they relied on their touch to make the majority of their decisions. With the gloves, this sense would be dulled and this would result in mistakes with potentially life threatening ramifications to their patients. 

Ultimately it was agreed that the risk of infection was a significant risk to patient safety and so to wear the gloves would minimise this, along other techniques such as hand washing.

Halsted’s admiration and love for Hampton was enough that he loved her to the point of invention. His own personal circumstances weren’t the easiest as he struggled with an addiction to cocaine following his self experimentation with the drug to establish if it could be used as an anaesthetic. He will be remembered as a pioneer for surgery through his lifelong dedication to improving various facets of the field however the invention of rubber gloves is a testament not only to his intellectual ability but to the noble aspiration to help because he cared.