The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1895-10-19

from the views first advocated by Lister.
it was his adaptation of the facts set forth
by Pasteur that rendered the present proud
results Of surgery possibility. Pasteur
had proved the existence of germs swarm
ing in the air and elsewhere; Lister set out
to kill them before they came in contact
with the wound. This method was neces-
sarily cumbersome Large sprays of car
bolic acid were kept playing over the sur
geon. his assistant and the patient, not
only throughout the operation, but during
each of the subsequent dressings. The
disadvantages of the system were its COM
plexity and the injury to the wounded
portions by the strong chemical solutions
The results in his clinics, however, were
so much in advance of Others that Glasgow
became the Mecca for surgical workers the
world over AS already indicated Noch'
Investigations published in 1882. proved
that many different kinds of germs might
float in myriads around us. but they could
not increase or be of danger unless they
found Il favorable soil. In other words
there are only certain kinds that can un-
favorably affect wound. Immediately
many special investigators set to work and
isolated the germs that were of danger in
the operating room and studied their life
history BY killing, therefore the mi
crobes on the instruments. on the hands
and arms of the operators. ON the region to
be operated upon. and taking care that
none were introduced either during the
operation or after the same end was
reached as by Lister. In brief. the Lister
method killed every germ in the air; the
modern method is to guard against those
that are dangerous. These methods are
at present in vogue. Wounds that took
months to heal in the past now heal in
few hours. or few days An amputation
of the breast used to require from five or
even six months to heal now only one
dressing is repaired and the wound is com
pletely healed within week.
Modern surgery, in short. is based upon
absolute cleanliness Intense attention is
given to the structure and care of instru-
ments; hospitals are constructed on hygi-
enic principles; no danger from germs is
too small to be unworthy Of notice; hospi-
tai wards are kept scrupulously clean; dust
must not accumulate in the cranks of floors
or on the paper of walls. With modern
methods operations have been performed
that the surgeon of the early decades Of
the century would have considered tanta-
mount to man-slaughter. All the organs
of the abdomen are subject to the surgeon 5
care. The appendix-vermiformis is fire.
quently removed with small percentage
Of fatality. Tumors have been success
fully removed from the liver, the gall
bladder has been excised, portions of the
stomach have been taken away and new
openings made into it. both through the
abdominal wall and into the intestine
The spleen and kindey have been inspected
and removed and the intestine has been
| brought together and has reunited after the
removal of several feet Even the lung
has been operated upon and the wounds Of
the pericardium (the covering of the heart }
and the heart itself has been treated and
patient has recovered. Bones are now
the broken simply to correct deformity. The
spinal column and the brain have been laid
bare and recovery supervened.
Surgery is now an exact science. Based
upon the new theories of bacteriology, we
know why failure was so common in the
past, and how to avoid similar errors in
the future. Blood poisoning now is so re
markable subsequent to an operation that
its occurrence calls for investigation. Hos
| pitals are no longer positive dangers to the
patients but a haven Of security to dis
eased and injured mortals.