Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-11-01

I anu HeeufeH anu
| Variety of Stitches Used In Life
Saving Operations.
Imagine a tailor who deliberately
! plans to have the stitches he so careful
| ly sews give way at a certain time.
! Suppose he should use one kind Of
| thread in q coat warranted TO break in
! guaranteed to fall apart in a month
! and using permanent material only in
making up waiStcoat Yet this is eX-
actly what the surgeon does every day.
Sutures, as the surgeons thread is call
ed, are made from various materials,
according TO the requirements. Catgut,
silk thread, silkworm gut, silver wire,
kangaroo tendons and horsehair are in
common use.
Catgut was at one time obtained
from members of the feline tribe. As
its use increased the supply ran short.
Experiments showed that sheep fur
nished an acceptable substitute. So
catgut used by surgeons, jewellers and
makers of musical instruments comes
now from the submucosa, or middle
layer of the intestine of a sheep. 1t Is
the most commonly used Of all sutur-
ing material. Catgut stitches are alb
sorbed in from five to seven days, de-
pending on the individual upon whom
they are used. In occasional instances
catgut stitches have been known to be
absorbed in SO hours. By treating it
with chronic acid such a suture will
remain in position for many weeks.
Because Of its adaptability and the
cheapness of the material catgut heads
the list of surgical threads.
Silkworm gut can be more thorough
ly steriliZed than any other known
suture material. In preparing sutures
of all sorts the usual method is to boil
the material in ether allow 1t to soak
for "a hours, then place it in alcohol
for day or two and follow this with
a bath Of mercury solution. Notwith-
standing this thorough cleansing, the
microscope reveals germs still present
in varying numbers in many instances.
Silkworm sutures show fewer micro
organisms than other materials treated
In this way; hence 1t Is highly recon-
mended for surgic al work. The mate
rial is extracted from n silkworm killed
Immediately before it begins to weave
its cocoon. Unfortunately for sur
geons, silkworm sutures are not alb
sorbed, but remain permanently In
place. For this reason its use Is re-
stricted to special work.
The short, tough tendons taken from
N,,D ,Es,t.
with n valuable thread. Kangaroo ten
don stitches Will hold fast for many
days. The time of absorption is esti-
mated from -four weeks to two months
Horsehair and silver wire sutures are
nonabsorbatIle. The fluids of the body
do not affect them in any way, and
once In place the stitches Will remain
until forclbly removed. BY some II Is
asserted that silver wire has distinct
antiseptic properties. Nitrate Of silver
In solution Is known TO be n good ger
micide. Hence It is argued that sill
yer salt injurious to germ development
Is formed by the contact of body fluids
with silver wire Thus stitch ahscesses
are said to be OF rare occurrence when
silver wire is utilized.
SILK thread. such as is used by tai
lors, but of the finest quality and Of
larger caliber is frequently used. The
stitches are practically nonabsorbable,
though at times no trace Of the thread
has been found In the tissue at the ex-
pIration of n year.
To accommodate this assortment OF
threads special varie ties Of needles are
naturally required. A surgeons "house-
wife" contains nee4 Hes that would
scarcely be recognized as such by the
unlnitiated. Besides the needles curry
ed in different segments Of n circle,
surgeons use needles shaped like |
spears javelins and bayonet points. |
Some are as long as bodklns, terminal |
ing in point like n miniature knife
blade. Others have the sharpened end |
triangular. with the apices Of the an
giles sharpened to razor edge. Some
few are formed like ordinary sewing |
needles. but made Of greater tensile |
strength.
Instead of n thlmble II surgeon uses |
an instrument called needle holder.
II IL shaped like pair OF scissors, the |
points Of which are blunt clamps. The
needle is held fast between the jaws |
of the clamps until released by opening |
the two blades as scissors are opened. |
Then fresh hold is takosi, and the nc |
tlon repeated with every stitch.
slcillful surgeon has perfect com |
mond Of the needle at all times. There |
are moments during an operation when |
n well placed stitch means saving the |
life Of n patient. At such times the :
skillful surgeon displays "A celcrity and |.
deftncss not surpassed I'm embroidery.
The surgeon relies upon certain !
stitches for different needs. just as the |
drcssmalser picks and chooses among |
the various forms Of stitching. The /
hcmstitch. cutstitch, whalcbonc, her /
ringbone, running stitch and back hand |
so dear to the feminine fingers have
their countcrparts In the surgeons |
mattress sutTc. interrupted and con
tlnuous suture. subcutlcular suturc,
purse string and figure eight sutures, |
Lcmbcrt and CZcrncy sutures. AS the
scamstregs selects mn appropriate |
stitch for n seam. n buttonhole or an
edging. 40 the surgeon chooses In form
Ing his life saving stitches.-New York
Sun.
urr wn1.
rs Gcorgiann n sympathetic frIcDdf'