The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-05-25

hundreds of organisms the proper name
Oh Which was or was to be sstreptococcus
pyogenes. Two medical discoveries,
one In the honest sense of the word en-
pirioal the other resulting from purely
scientific investigation led to the de-
lection and apprehension of this whole
sale assassin.
Many surgeon before the year 1868
would have been glad to know how it
might be possible to amputate legs and
arms without suppu1aton. Many tried
for solution of the problem although
most We're no doubt content to take
things as they found them. welcome the
appearance of their slaudable pus' and
light the to them inevitable "hospital
fever" 1t was Joseph Lister whose name
IS now known in every surgical ward
in the world who first as a veteran sur
geon lately expressed it ''started the
hounds on the right scent when they were
all at fault.
This shrewd Scotch surgeon coming
from Edinburgh to Kings College Hos
pltal, London. about twenty years ago in
PRODUCED there what has been called the
'aseptic'' method of surgical treatment.
IN this method the whole vicinity of the
part to be operated on, called in the Ian
guage OF the clinic, "the surgical tield'' is
impregnated with a spray of carbolic acid
py means OF an atomizer. AS soon as the
operation is finished not only is the air
excluded from the wounds by bandages
put these bandages are stepped in solu-
lions OF germicide carbolic acid to eX.
terminate MIN the foe that may have crept in
as we'll as to exclude the foe that besets
the wound from without The instru-
ments and the hands that operate are
also washed in solution of carbolic acid.
AS q result of this practice it was
round that wounds "healed at the first
intention" There was seldom need of
Greatlng suppuration, for snppuration
never appeared except when the operator
OF some of his assistants had been guilty
Of gross carelessness. Bandages were left
on until the flesh had grown together
again There WAS no more washing of
wounds to be done, nor any expectation
OF o., Iebr1le symptoms as matter of course.
Inc patient was expected to leave his bed
not wastel with slow fever, but hale and
nearly. Betwesn the new treatment and
me old there was all the difference
between prevention and cure.
IL was evident, of course, to Lister and
MS followers that they were protecting
gnelr patients against a something tangi-
PIE and destructible that could be made
20 leel the sting of a powerful acid. 1t
remains for the microscope and tbs
brains of such men as Pasteur, Koch,
Fruden, and Surgeon-G General George III.
ooiE VI tuo OHlUeu oUatcs ARMY,
successfully to investigate the nature and
general ways of that something. The
power OF the microscope happened to be
prodlglously increased just about that
tlme py discoveries in practical optics,
ana one Of the first results was the detec-
ZION and Identification of 'streptococcus
pyogenes" The name sounds like that
OF byzantine emperor, but it only
means little necklace animal that
is unn doco v-n1
name, for pyogenes is the busy maker,
nrst, OF that 'slaudable pus'' which is
now known to be an accumulation of the
Vlctlms precious white blood corpuscles,
and, later, of the still more deadly
symptoms of the dark glarious pus.
Inc way 10 qua d against this deadly
gangrene and fever WAS, fortunately for
humanity, pointed out even while it's
cause was only vaguely known. The
general principles Of Listers methods
nave been thoroughly and Systematically
applied in our service. Not only are there
complete facilities for aseptio surgery in
tne 1eld hospitals which will accompany
one United States soldiers to Cuba or to
the philippines, as well as in the sick
nays OF every man-of-war, but in every
regiment there are a certain number of
men IN the ranks, each provided with
an uiseptlc dressing packed Theoretically.
inese are the trained bearers of first aid
70 the wounded. The regulations allow
OF their leaving their fghing positions
rom time to time to bind up the wounds
VI d. 1ailen comrades in such way as to
eneotually guard against 'sepsis," or the
injection of suppuration.
Less important than the consideration
Oh tne actual saving of life for which one
may look to the new surgery, but still
Wen worth noting, is the prospect that d
,nucn larger number Of those who go into
n3usploals wounded will come out not only
alive and we'll, but with their full COM
PIGMENT OF limbs. Talking recently of