The History Of Medical Scrubs
Author: Gabriel Adams

If I asked you to picture a surgeon in your mind's eye, you
almost certainly would picture an individual in medical scrubs
(most likely white or green scrubs), wearing a mask, etc. But
it hasn't always been that way. Medical scrubs are actually a
relatively modern practice.

Until the 20th century, surgery was (compared to today's
standards) a rather crude operation, which did not really
involve any sanitation, least of all anything like medical
scrubs. Sterilization was not even a consideration, because
there was really no understanding of how disease and germs
spread. Many scientists believed in spontaneous generation,
meaning that germs spontaneously generated from nothing. Little
or no consideration was given to basic sanitation, so the
mortality rate was very high.

Actually, many surgeons wore a butcher's apron, and since they
did not don a clean one between patients, it would become very
soiled by blood and fluids. So a dirty apron just meant a busy
surgeon.

Around 1920, sanitation methods began to be employed in the
operating room. By the 1940's, an increased understanding of
operation sanitation motivated the introduction of sanitary
drapes and attire for the medical personnel.

Originally, the scrubs were white, to emphasize and display
their cleanliness. However, this presented several problems.
First of all, red blood splotches were quite unsightly on white
clothing. Also, the all white clothing, when coupled with bright
lighting, cause eye strain. So they began switching from white
to green clothing.

By the 1970's, scrubs had largely become what they are today: a
short sleeve shirt and drawstring pants, in most cases, made of
green cotton.

All medical scrubs are not green, though. Many hospitals color
code their uniforms according to departments. For example,
Emergency Room staff would wear pink, Surgery staff would wear
green, and Labor and Delivery Room staff would wear blue. Or,
in university hospitals, the staff may wear colors
corresponding to the school colors.


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