Semantic bypassing in technical communication: the historical case of antiseptics

The problem known as bypassing is explored using a historical example, the medical term `antiseptics´, to show the impact that bypassing can have on communication of technical information. The term antiseptics was in use for over 150 years before Joseph Lister adopted it in the 1860s to describe his system of surgical treatment. A review of published responses of Canadian doctors to Lister´s writings indicates that confusion arose because of the fundamentally different perceptions of the term for Lister and his audience