The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-05-28

sign when the wound threw off the tr',us
blesome humor, which, II kept IN. wolild
produce fever 10 was not then known,
perhaps hardly even suspected. that the
surgeon himself was actually inocuia-
ting patient after patient villa ten1-
Bile, specific disease.
The surgeons Of the civil war would
doubtless, have been very much sur
prised 10 hear that their hands hastily
rinsed In cold hydrant or spring water.
were husy carrying from wound 10 wound
hundreds OF organisms, the proper name
Of which was, or was 10 be, "streptococ-
Gus pyogenes." TWO medical discoveries,
one. IN the honest sense OF the word,
empirical. the other resulting from pure
ly scientific investigation. led TO the de-
lection and apprehension OF this whole
sale assassin.
Many a surgeon before the year 1878.
would have been glad 10 know how IL
might DO possible TO amputate legs and
arms without suppuration Many tired
for a solution Of the problem, although
most were no doubt content 10 take
things as they found them. welcome tho
appearance OF then "laudable pus." and
fight the, TO then. inevitable Hospital
fever" 1t was Joseph Lister, whose
name Is now known IN every surgical
ward I'm the world, who first, as vet-
eran surgeon lately expressed H. started
the hounds on the right scent when they
were all at fault"
This shrewd Scotch surgeon. coming
from Edinburgh TO Kings College liospi-
TAI London, about twenty years ago.
introduced there what has been called
the aseptic" method OF surgical treat
ment In this method the whole vicinity
Of the part to be operated on, called,
I'm the language of the clinic. "the surgi-
cal field" Is impregnated with spray
of carbolic acid by means OF an atOmzcr.
As soon as the operation IS finished, not
only is the air excluded from the wound
by bandages but these bandages ars
stepped I'm solutions Of germicide carbolic
acid. 20 extcrminafe the Zoe that may
have crept I'm, as wei as 20 exclude the
foe that besets the wound from without.
The instruments and the hands that oper-
ate are also washed In a solution Of carr
bolic acid.
As result Of this practice Il was
found that wounds "healed at the first
intention" There was seldom need Of
treating supperation, for supperation
never appeared except when the operator
or some Of his assistants had been guilty
Of gross carclessness. Bandages we're
left on until the flesh had grown to-
gether again. There was no more wash
ing OF wounds 90 be done, nor any eXpec-
tati0n OF febrile symptoms as a matter
Of course. The patient was expected 70
leave his bed. not wasted with slow
fever. but hale and hearty. Between the
new treatment and the old there was
an the difference between prevention
and cure.
M was evident. OF course, TO Lister
and his followers that they were pro-
tecting their patients against something
tangible and destructible that could Do
made TO feel the sting Of powerful
acid IL remained for the microscope and
the brains OF such men as Pasteur, Koch.
Prudcn and Surgeon-General George NJ.
Sternberg OF the United States Army
successfully 20 investigate the nature
and general ways OF that something.
The power OF the microscope happened TO
De prodigiously increased just about that
time by discoveries IN practical optics,
and one OF the first results was the de-
lection and Identification o. "streDtOcoc-
Gus pvOgenes." The name sounds Ike
that of a Byzantine emperor but It only
means "nttle necklace animal tnat
makes pus." and IL rs n weil-deserVed
name. for pyogenes IS the busy maker
first OF that 'laudable pus' which Us now
known 90 Doe an accumulation Of the VIC
Tins precious white blood corpuscles,
and. later. Of the sdll more deadly symp-
toms Of the dark. glairous pus.
The way TO guard against this deadly
gancrene and fever was, fortunately for
humanity pointed out even while ms
cause was only vaguely known. The gene
erh principles OF Listers methods have
been thoroughly and systematically APP
piled i'm our service. Not only arc there
complete facilities for aseptic surgery IN
the field hospitals which viii accompany
the United States soldiers 20 cuba or
TO the Philippines. as we'll as IN the sick
havs OF every man-Of-War. but In every
regiment there are certain number OF
men i'm the ranks. each provided with an
tlseptic dressing packed hermetically
These are the trained bearers ~ FIRST
aid 20 the wounded The regulations al-
low of their leaving their fighting posi-
lions from time 20 timc 90 bind mp the
wounds OF fallen comrades i'm such "A way
as TO effeCtually guard against "sepss,
or the infection OF suppurauon
Less important than the consideration
Of the actual saving of ne for which
one may look 90 the new surgery. but
stnl well worth noting Is the prospect
that a much larger number OF those
who go into hospitals wounded viii como
out nor only alive and well. but with
their full complement OF limbs. Talking
recently OF the outlook for Uncle Sans
soldiers I'm the present war, DR.. John IT.
Glrdner. who has made a special study
Of gunshot wounds, said.
I'm the old days a surgeon would very
often amputate simply TO save his man
from the dangers OF gangrene. Now that
gaugrene has been provided against n
soldier who goes into hospital with two
legs. even II a bullet had smashed both
Of them. may san hope 20 walk on two
flesh and blood legs for years after tho
war."-Boston Herald.