The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-29

class. each receiving its own par-icu-
lar treatment. Catgut is the most IA
vored from its ready absorption by
being immersed in ether for q hours;
from the ether it is transferred to al
cohol and boiled for one hour, and then
again to a solution of corrosive sub
Innate for another "A hours. IL is
finally preserved in a mixture of alco-
hol and oil OF Juniper wood. For GER
tain work silver wire is preferable;
this being a metal which is easily rem
!. dered aseptic by washing, polishing,
rewashing and passing rnrouell an
alcohol flame until every part IS heated
TO redness
Circumstances alter cases. and the
general treatment and handling Of the
patient depends much on eXtraneous
influences. Roughly. all cases may be
divided into two classes-tbe selected
and emergency. In selected cases, those
in which an operation has been decided
upon for some future daY. a regular
mode of proceeding is followed, being
modified naturally by exigencies. For
several days previous TO the operation,
the patient is kept upon light but nu-
tritious diet. On the morning of the
day preceding the operation he is given
a very warm bath and put TO bed with
fresh linen throughout. The night be-
fore, if not too weak, this is repeated,
the linen being again changed. If too
weak. only the parts operated upon are
thus subjected. The special local treat
ment consists in thoroughly washing
the parts with warm water and ether
ial soap. This is followed with tur-
pentine TO remove the grease and any
thing that may cling to the skin
through its natural oil, the turpentine
in turn being cleaned off with ether and
alcohol. The parts are then shaved
washed again and wrapped in sterile
wadding, which is saturated with
solution of corrosive sublimate. This
process, with the exception of shaving,
is repeated when the patient is on the
operating table.
The patient being thus thoroughly
prepared is now removed to the operat-
ing room. This in all good hospitals
and institutions is an ideal and model
place, so contrived that the intentions
of the operator shall be anticipated Its
floors and walls are of some material
capable of being joined together in such
a way that no interstices are presented
for the Judgment of dirt or matter, tile
and marble being used in most cases,
The hardest and most reSiStible cement
is needed, and when the ideal operating
room is completed it presents surface
absolutely free from cracks or crew
Ices. The operating table, as are all
other tables. is placed on casters, so
that II can be moved in all directions
with ease, and Is constructed of gal
iron and plate glass, all sep
arabic and distinct so that it can be
taken apart for cleansing. Over the
table is a group of incandescent lights
shaded with ground glass so that pro-
per illumination is ever at hand. A
steam sterilizer, a. bottle for the rapid !
aeration of hot water by means of live !!
steam, and many other special fea-
lures are always present, the tables |
holding the instruments being likewise |
If galvanized iron with removable glass
ops, all especially adapted for their
purposes.
The surgeon and his assistants have
n the meanwhile been getting them
selves ready, the anaesthetizer doing
his duty in another part of the build
ing, the patient, on his appearance in
the operating room, being ready for the
work in hand-in the technical par
lance of the operator, asleep" The
assistants and their director have
given their hands a sturdy wash with
Z specially adapted soap and have
changed their clothing for the pure
white and sterllized linen of the hos
pital. From head 10 foot they are ar
rayed in garments that, in addition to
their cleanliness, have been exposed to
the heat of the sterilizing chamber and
are aseptic. The preparation of the
hands comes next, and with sleeves
rolled to the shoulder the men COM
mence to clean themselves. First, the
whole arm and hand are washed with
ordinary soap and water, this being
with hand scrubs and a liquid
ETHEREAL soap. From shoulder to finger
tip is the process of scrubbing gone
through with, and now rinsed and |
the finger nails are gone over, and
after that the scrubbing and irrigdting
is again gone through. The hands are
dipped next into a basin containing a
solution of permanganate of |
potash, and after a thorough LAYING
immersed in oXalic acid and finally
dipped in a corrosive sublimate solu-
ton. The hands, allowed to dry with
out a towel. are then ready for work;
the nurse then throws over the head
If the operator and his assistants large
bib aprons with sleeves, that, having
lust come out of the sterilizer, are tied
around their persons. Everything in
he room is now in the same condition.
Large reservoirs hang against the
ceiling containing sterile water of
7arying temperatures, the flow of
which is regulated by q block and
pulley, so that any desired force is
patient rests is covered with a sterile
10th, the body is enveloped in a
terile sheet, and even the towels used
throughout the work are in the same
condition. True, the old precautions
# antisepsis have been for the most
art neglected-such as keeping the
of the room constantly
with an antiseptic substance
but the instruments lie in a solution
f carbolic acid and the solution OF
sublimate is close at hand,
nut the law of asepsiS has more than
modified procedure-it has changed 1t.
In every hospital and clinic, in every
life comes the dread accident
r emergency case, and with the ma
0rity of them, the attendant evil dirt.
. filthy wound, a crushed arm or
and, a skull fractured with a stone
= kick or fall. a compound fracture
here dirt has been forced into the
pening, these are not the selected
asses. but the ones that require quick
bought and prompt action. To get
Id of the filth and then proceed in the
sual way is the first duty. and the
art injured is speedily looked after.
he regular procedure is to anaesthe-
re the patient and then cleanse the
hurry. To get a rapidly healing
-ound. it is necessary to set W a
tone in the parts, and this is
ccomplished by the vigorous use OF
pap and a brush. Literally, the
ound is scrubbed out, great care be-
IL taken to reach the innermost recess
nd leave behind no foreign matter,
My pure, clean. healthy surface to
ranulate and heal. Plenty of sterile
ater is used throughout, and where