Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-01
~ THE OPERATING-ROOM.

ratlrg-room. II has four wheels. SO that
); will turn sharp corner.
IN THE OPERATING-ROOM.
"Th.s brings us TO the operating-room
proper. You will observe that II Is we'll
lighted by skylight above and two large
windows with the northern exposure. The
operating arena Ia finished in metal and
hard wood covered With white. enarnelled
paint. The floor Is cemented. and has
q drain-pipe 80 that the whole can be
flushed with hot water from the hose.
The water used in this room passes first
through a Pasteur filter. which practical
Nv frees II from bacteria. This is stored
in n large tank, holding $50 gallons. from
which II is conveyed 10 an instantaneous
heater. where II Is boiled and then stored
in another tank. Below these tanks
are n number OF stationary wristbands,
which are supplied with the boiled FL
tered water. both hot and cold. The wa
ter-supply in an operating-room Is one
OF the most important items.
"You notice that the furniture In this
room is made entirely Of glass and metal.
even the tables are made Of heavy plate
glass The instrument cases surround
ing the operating arena are lifted with
glass doors and plate-glass shelves. The
case for storing dressings Is made OF
glass. In metal frame. The object or
all this is 10 enable us to make every
thing in an operating-room surgicnliy
cIean-that IL. to free it. not only from
dirt. but from bacteria"
THREE ANTIsEPTIC METHODS.
'You have not told me. Doctor, about
antiseptics," interjected the reporter.
Anything not sterilized." replied the
physician. "is covered with bacteria. In
other words. the presence Of bacteria
makes anything patient. surgeon, or dress
.ngs-more or less septic Anything that
will destroy these bacteria Is called an
antisoptic. There are three antiseptic
methods which are usually employed:
"First. BY boiling or steamng. as
have already explained 70 you.
Second by scrubblng with green soap
and a stiff nail brush. This Is perhaps the
most important OF al the methods. and
f. the one employed TO cleanse the sur
reon's hands and the parts of the patient
to be operated upon
"Third. Certain drugs. rs carbol!c acid
and bichloride OF mercury corrosive subn-
mate).
THE TRAINED NURSES.
Another important department OF every
modern hospital IS the nursing depart
ment Before the war nursing ws5 done
by the colored women. and In many cases
done very efficiently. After the war most
of IL was done by white women from ihe
lower walks Of lie. In the last few years
the nurses training school has deVelopeu'
and now our nurses are chosen from tho
educated and cultured classes. Indeed. no
Young woman is admitted into a training
school who IS not educated and cultured
and she must present n good record as 10
her moral qualifications temperament &C:
Tn the school she undergoes a course OF
instruction which, as far as It's scope exc
tends. is comparable to that OF the mehicai
student. These nurses have entire charge
Of the nursing. As soon as n doctor comes
into the hospital he rings the nurse Dell.
Tho nurse responds promptly ana ATTENDS
him on his rounds, taking his orders ana
recording them at once In an order-book.
and the doctor rnay depend upon u that
his orders viii be carried out TO the letter.
1T is wonderful the influence when II
thoroughly trained nurse has over "A Pr
tent. Sometimes we receive nervous
snoilt women as patients, ana men. 700.
for that matter who have been huinofei
and petite by their famiJ Nntl thfy an
hardly do anything with them. once III
the hospital and under the care or quiet
dignlhed gentle but firm ana poslt'V"
nurse. he or she becomes like another
nerson. ana almost before they are aware
Of il are taking their medicine and foi-
lowing the doctors directions lks iittls
soldiers. The system of trained nursing
is one of the most beneficent advances
ever made in the practice Of medicine
'-The essentials OF a modern hospital
said the physician as the reporter was
about TO retire, may be summed IN IN
few words-quiet, system. and absolute
cleanliness"