The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-10-19

been removed, and the wound would 500
be healed. Very rarely, indeed, would
wound heal without suppuration. If it die
it always excited remark, and would be IT
counted as a surgical triumph. Often, o
the other hand, grave complications aros
! by the formation of assesses; erysipela
and gangrene were fertile sources of dan
ger, and very often of death; while second
ary hemorrhagc-that is, hemorrhage fol
lowing premature rotting of the ligature
on the blood vessels-was always possible
and frequently an actual and formidable
danger to life. \ serious operation from
which the patient recovered in less than
month was remarkable case.
THE NEW WAY.
Contrast this with similar operation per
formed today by any ordinary well instruct
ed surgeon. The day beforehand, the skin il
a wide area around the site of the proposed
operation will first be scrubbed by mai
brush with soap and water, then with ether
then with some antiseptic solution, most
frequently at the present day solution OF
corrosive sublimate, one part to one thous-
and of water, and then covered with an an
tiseptic dressing until the operation is
begun The object Of this is to free the
skin from dirt and fatty matter, making it
surgically clean and free from germs Even
the immaculate hands of bride, surgically
speaking, are dirty The instruments viii
have been boiled in a covered vessel for
fifteen minutes, or disinfeeted by carbolic
acid or some equivalent germicide, and are
then placed in a tray filled with an antisep-
tic solution In the cleaning of them after
the last operation all rough and more or
less inaccessible places where germs may
accumulate especially, for instance. the
joints viii have been serupulously disin-
fected. If during the operation an instru-
ment Is laid down, it is never placed on the
clothing Of the patient, but either is re-
placed in the tray, or laid upon upon towels
which have been dipped in solution of
corrosive sublimate and spread all over the
patients person and clothing all around
the field Of operation.
After an operation the sponges are thrown
away it they have become infected from
pus; but II NOS, they are very carefully dis
infected and then kept permanently in a
oarbolie solution. At the next operation
they are placed in a tray containing some
antiseptic, or at least water which has been
boiled, for heat has been found to be one
of the best aniiseptics. If a sponge or an
instrument fall on the floor, it is laid aside,
or before being used again is thoroughly
disinfected The hands Of the surgeon
will next receive especial care. First they
are scrubbed with soap and water and a
nail brush. Then the nails are cleaned
anew, for the dirt which accumulates under
them Is found to be one of the most fruit
full sources Of Infection Then the hands
arc washed in pure alcohol, and lastly,
while wet. are again scrubbed with the
antiseptic solution. the nails agaia receiving
great care II during the operation the
hands touch anything not itself already dis
infeeted, they must again be disintected
These precautions being complete, the
operation Is begun The blood-vessels are
tied with caigut or silk which has been
disinfected- and both ends are cut SHIRT
These lgaturs are not irritating, like the
non-disinieeied silk formerly used As no
end hangs out, they are never pulled upon,
but are slowly absorbed. aud nothing is ever
heard Of them again, In consequence OF
this the blood vessels are never alterward
and secondary hemorrhage is
now one Of the rarest complications follow
ing au operation. 4 disinfected rubber tube,
with holes in 1t for draining away the wound
fluids, which o0ze from the raw surfaces
for some time, is then inserted between the
flaps, with a bundle Of horsehairs alongside
Of il. The flaps are now united by sutures
Of eatgut, disiuiectcd as before, or sutures of
wire or silk similarly prepared 4 large
soit dressing Of many layers Of dry cheese
cloth Is next applied by bandase This
dressing has been thoroughly impregnated
with corrosive sublimate or other antiseptic
solution The finest linen or lint, clean as
the driven snow 10 the ordinary eye, IS dirty
TO the eve Of an antiseptie surgeon, sineeit
Is not eleansed from the microscopic germs
that viii surely cause infection. At the
end Of "a hours the drainage tube is re-
moved, the horsehairs being sufficient for
the slight later drainage, and another SIM
liar dressing of dry antiseptic cheese cloth
is applied The horsehairs are entirely re-
moved after four or FIVE days
The temperature of the patient scarcely
rises above the normal. Apart from the
discomfort Of the ether-vomitiug, from
shock and from loss of blood from all of
which the patient generally receivers in 24
hours or less. be viii suffer but little pain.
Ii Is not an infrequent thing to see a patient
recover, even from asevere operation, with
out having suffered any pain, or having lost
4 single meal, excepting, of course, those Of
the day Of the operation, BY the fifth or
the etenth day, when the second dressing will
be applied. the wound is well No COM
plications ought to ocear, saving in excep-
tionai cases Secondary hemorrhage is un-
known Primary union of the faps Is now
always expected The formation of pus is
rare accident. ii it does occur, the sur
geou asks himself What mistake did |
make p
WONDERFUL RESULTS.
Let us see now what the results have
been in amputations, In Professor Bill
roth's clinic in Vienna, in the II years
from 1860 to 1877, there were 315 major
amputations done 1. E., excluding fingers
and toes In the most approved methods of