The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-19
! SURGEONS MASKS
New Device for Preventing lnfec-
w.t. ton of Wounds. -
Baltimore American

' ton of Wounds
s....' Baltimore American.
Several tests Of what is KNOWN DIS INC
surgeons mask, an article ENDED TO
give freedom from the danger of wound
infection, have recently taken place
abroad, and the results are said to have
been most gratifying. AS far as known,
these masks have not as yet been used
in this city or even on this side of the
Atlantic, but if the mask provides as
much additional protection to subject as
is. claimed it will undoubtedly soon play
an important part in every operation
In the genreal move for perfection in
antiseptics, in which such great steps
have been taken the last ten or fifteen
years, the danger of causing infection dur
ing an operation has been greatly mini
miZed. To those who have studied the
subject carefully prominent obstacle to
this end has been the danger from the
breath of the surgeon and his assistant.
In the hospitals of Baltimore as else
where, the instruments used are carefully
washed in antiseptic solutions, and the
gowns worn by the surgeon, his assistants
and the students present are all sterilized
but in spite of these and other precautions
infection does figure to quite a large eX-
tent.
The new mask now being experimental
with in Europe is of fine gauze. It tightly
Covers lu0 mouth anu nose anu hampers
in no way the sight, the hearing, or even
perfect breathing. The gauze is merely
intended to prevent the spread of germs
and consequent wound poisoning. Some
time ago many boards were fruitful
sources Of Infection and many now shave
closely or trim their boards quite short,
and in addition, take pains to disinfect
them before entering the operating arena.
In regard to the breath, it has been
q RAJ e m
dents in an operating room adds to the
danger. Movements along this line may
yet end in curtailing the number Of stu
dents and spectators in clinics. In the
north the placing of the students behind
a plate glass partition has been tried,
and is said to have been beneficial.
In the experiments in Europe in connec-
ton with the gauze mask tests were made
to determine the effect of sneezing, cough
ing or talking while STOPPING over pa
tent Trays containing glycerin-agar
covering an area usually exposed in
serious operation, were placed upon the
table. The surgeon and his attendants
then leaned over, exactly as they would
when at work on patient, and the
sneeze, the cough and the ordinary breath
were given above the trays. Then the ex-
pertinent was repeated with the gauze
masks on. When the trays were carried
into the laboratory after an exposure
varying from fifteen to thirty minutes,
three distince varieties Of virulent germs
are said to have been found on the plates
where no maks were used, while in the
other case hardly any were found. The
masks were SO full of germs that three
rabbits that were inoculated with them
died. FIX ...-..
The idea OF wearing a mask would have
probably been laughed to scorn by sur
geons not many years ago, as would the
many other precautions now taken. The
operating rooms of former days were
nothing more than butcher shops in ap-
pearance and the conditions were so
nauseating that the surgeons themselves
could hardly stand them Now, however,
all is changed, and the rough system has
been replaced by a wonderfully precise
and patnStaking one. .... .
Some twentyfour hours before an OPP
GRAFTON is to be performed the patient is
placed on light diet. A hot bath is
given and the part to be operated on is
shaved, and then scrubbed with bichloride
of mercury or a similar powerful antisep-
tic, and often green surgical soap is used.
Next follows a bandage over the surface
of the part, that excludes all air. Ten
hours or SO before the operation the food
is often stopped. The patient is re-
moved from bed short while before the
surgeon is ready, and the washing process
gone over again, the part being scrubbed
with antiseptics for an hour in some
cases, where blood poisoning is feared,
Every part of the body, save that to be
operated on, is wrapped in rolls of linen,
sterilized by baking.
While the patient is being given ether
the surgeons and nurses take their gowns
(after thoroughly cleansing the hands and
faces with antiseptic scrubbing) from big
jars, where the clothing is kept after be-
ing made sterile. The patient on the
table in an unconscious state, the sur
geon starts his work, his hands often
dripping with an antiseptic solution, un-
less he uses white rubber gloves The
instruments lie in shallow dishes In anti
septic solutions, the whole often covered
with sterilized towel, and these are
handed by the nurses and attendants as
needed, the surgeon hardly CHANGING up
What blood may flow is sponged by
nurse with sponge taken from sealed
Jar, and as they are allied the sponges are
thrown in a bucket of disinfectant, to be
used no more-in striking contrast to
methods of former times.
The fingers even of the surgeon very
seldom touch the body, instruments being
used. The arteries are caught with in
struments, and where the operation is Of
any considerable, extent the patient ap-
pears to bristle with curious pins and
needles. The operation over and the
wound drained, the gut and silver wire