"It may seem a strange principle to enunciate as the very first requirement in a hospital that it should do the sick no harm."–Florence Nightingale

"It is a wise mans part, rather to avoid sickness, than to wishe for medicines."–Thomas More, Utopia

"I had rather rescue one mother from being poisoned by her attendant, than claim to have saved forty out of fifty patients to whom I had carried the disease."–Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

"... from atmospheric particles that all the mischief arises, it appears that all that is requisite is to dress the wound with some material capable of killing these septic germs, provided that any substance can be found reliable for this purpose..."–Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister

“This disease seized such women only as were visited or delivered by a practitioner who had previously attended patients affected with the disease...It is a disagreeable declaration for me to mention, that I myself was the means of carrying the infection to a great number of women.”–Dr. Alexander Gordon

"The first possibility of rural cleanliness lies in water supply."–Florence Nightingale

"There was no object in being clean...Indeed, cleanliness was out of place. It was considered to be finicking and affected. An executioner might as well manicure his nails before chopping off a head"– Sir Frederick Treves