The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-12-26
USE METHODS
OF DR.. CARREL
French Surgeon Declares
No Single Discovery
Rivals That of CarreI.
az ASSOCIATED PRESS.

New York, Dec. 25.-Great as have
been the surgical achievements in the
course of the present war, there has
been as. yet no single discovery that
has rivaled DR.. Alexis Carrefs method
of the treatment of septic wounds as
the most notable addition to surgical
science, according TO a senior surgeon
of the American Ambulance Hospital
at Neuilly, near Paris, who has just
returned to this country. THE French
hospitals are SLOWLY adopting the Car
rel method" he said, land in the
American Ambulance Hospital we
have been using it for several months
with gratifying results which seem to
show that DR.. Carrel has proved MS
thesis.
1.-THE reduction of septic wound
treatment to an almost mathematical
basis is feature of the Carrel method
that suggests the fanciful thought of
the possibility that the day may come
when a surgeons work will in some
respects be like that of a train dis
patcher Having brought to him from
! day to day the microscopic count of
the germs in a given wound, the sur
geon may perhaps figure with precise
ness the day on which the wound will
| be in shape to close completely. The
| two-hourly irrigation of the wound by
! the Dalxin or other solution, is highly
/ important feature of the Carrel method
/ but the most interesting factor is the
daily microscopic count of the germs
/ These germs are taken from given
areas of the wound, placed under a
microscope and counted, and from this
i count the progress of the healing IS
gagged. There are perhaps less germs
today than yesterday, so many less
tomorrow; and so the rate of the di-
ninishing suppuration is established
The surgeon, almost without looking
| at the wound, can determine, when tho
count gets down to a given number
that it is safe to close it.
1.-THE American Ambulance Hospita
is the best single thing which America
!. can do for France he said 1.-THE
hospital has been at all times since it!
establishment two years ago one of thu
best hospitals in the world; it enjoys
the confidence of the French Sanitar.
Service to such degree that it ordi
narily receives only the most dihcul
cases. The most severe shell wound
are constantly encountered. There ar
scores of young American surgeon
who. from time to time serving at tn
| hospital, have become familiar wit
these phases of surgery. They ma
I rarely have occasion to use this knowl
edge in their ordinary civilian practic
I at home. but should the United State
/. be at war within the next generatio
tit will find that many of its surgeon
) in civilian practice are acquainted wit
Z every sort of wound now known
0 warfare. At the hospital, furthel
there has been constant cooperatio
e between the surgeons and dentists. A
: ordinary operation is that of graftin
Il bone cut from the tibia or shin-bon
e into the lower jaw. have seen youn
: soldiers so frightfully wounded in tn
n face that had they been my sons
should have almost preferred the
!. should have died, but it is not for tn
s surgeons to let the spark of life b
extinguisheds through neglect of surg
cal science.
"The appreciation, gratitude and er
o tire simplicity of the wounded Frenc
d soldier is something that gets one al
% solutely. have never seen the Sigh
- est resemblance to anything that coul
8, be called bravado in his makeup. TT
h American surgeons feel that they car
Is not be kind enough TO the soldier
1T All through France the efficienC