Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1874-01-19
Carbollc Acid.

bones Tor ItNing are tnJoyiH seh-
sation. A new invention h,s been CIV
en- them, which. though less startling
than the discovery OF ether or chloro-
form. 1. not n whit less important.
Ether aboiishes the pain Of operations,
but the new agent In many respects
aboli.hes the operations themselves,
aud restores TO solid usefulness limbs
which. three years ago. presented only
the alternative OF amputstion or death.
The name Of the new king i carbolic
acid. and the surgical world Ia all astir
on the subject Of hi majes'ysexploits.
Carbolic scid has "A low origin and n
smutiy pedigree, for it was born In
the coal mines. when the coal tar Il
suhIectetl TO certain chemical msnipu-
lations it yield, a mass Of beautiful
white and silky crystals, having an
odor like creosote. and such strong
pungency AS to be almost caustic. Di-
iu'ed In water. however, IL Is very
mild, and IA borne even on raw fiesh
without pain.
About three years ago Prof. Lister,
Of Glasgow, Scotland. stumbled upon
the discovery that under certain man
agement carbolic acid would heal up
most fearful Injuries without the iorm-
alton OF any Of the offensive iuatter
heretofore considered Inevitable, aud
with scarcely any Of the usual pain
aud exhaustion; In fact II would close
up with healthy flesh ghastly openings
which aforetime had been wont TO ter
inmate In amputation or death. Such
startling results could not remain ull.
noticed. The whole surgical world
was aroused. and experiment followed
experiment, until n wide field OF fresh
facts was explored. and new surgical
principle OF magnificent proportions
stepped into the arena.
Let us review few OF the main
points Of the discovery. Suppose
patient has received an Injury. shat-
terIng the bones OF the knee,jolnt and
opening It's cavity to the external air.
What has usually been the conse-
qu-nce? First OF all. it begins To
grow red. hot and swollen la other
words it is infiAmed. Next IL begin.
to discharge immense quantities OF
yellow matter. then the air which
gains access causes these fluids To de-
compose aud become horribly Offensive.
The decomposition generates poison
a. the depths Of the wound OF "A most
deadly character, which iniects the
surrounding flesh with eryslpelas and
modification; meantime ths broken
bones die and rot. the patient become,
rapidly emaclated, and hts haggaru
countenancs betrays hl' fearful ex-
hau.tlon his veins absorb the poison
from his wound aud carry IL TO the
whole system. often causing him TO
slnk into an untimely grave; or he
may barely survive, aud recover, alter
years Of suffering, with 4 crippled
limb.
Now such cases are treated on a new
plan, and the difference In the result
Is marvellous. The skin remains white
and natural there IL no offensive
odor. and scarcely any discharge or
swelling; the bones do not decsy; the
flesh does not msrtify /; the blood Is not
poisoned. In short, the patient re-
covers rs easily n though he had not
been In the slightest danger.
What makes the difference! The MI
cro,cope has revealed the mystery. IL
has been discovered that everywhere
around us there are countless germs OF
living animals invisible Ia the naked
eye. They float by millions the very
air we breathe, and penetrate TO every
open wound. where, alighting like an
Invisible dust Oh the moist surfaces,
tbry develop and multiply by myriads
every hour. These microscopic, ahi-
maIcules are the cause OF putreiac-
tlon In all dead animal matter. and
of many poisonous and putrid dis-
charges from wounds la living ncsh.
SO true IL thi, In the hottest sum
mer weather. u q Joint OF butchers
meat be subjected 10 some process
sufficient to kill all the germs upon IT,
and measures be taken to prevent tue
access OF any more, IL will dry up
without ollensiveness or decay. The
same thing occurs la the pure air oil
Rocky Mountain regions. la these LOFTY
hIshts there l. often such destitution
Of organic geruhs la the air that dead
carcasses absolutely dry up on the
ground without decay. IL u these
presidential animalenles which cause
the chief part OF danger and trouble In
wounded knee-joint. aud In many
other surg,cSl troubles. Hence, where
fifth aud foul material Il most abund.
ant the germs are most numerous, aud
humsn wounds most dangerous, as.
for Instance. In overcroyded hospitals
aud In ill-ventilated houses.
Professor Lister found that diluted
carbolic acid. though Innocent when
applied to haman hesh, was deadly
poison to all microscopic animals ani
with this fact like sword la his hand
he conceived tho idea Of destroying all
the microscopic animals In wound by
this means, and OF preventing the ell
trance OF any more, and thus cvading
the chief terrors aud dangers.
Without going Into tedlons details.
we may state the outline Of his plan a'
follows: The surgeon prepares two
bottles. one OF which CONTAINS water
holding five per cent. OF carbolic acid
Ia .olntjon and the other has oil hold