The Nenana daily news. (Nenana, Alaska) 1918-1921, 1918-05-24
DOCTOR SAYS
COURT PLASTER
CARRIES GERMS

bility that it will carry germs to
the wound over which it is applied.
These germs, however, are not the
products of German malice, but are
the ordinary or American variety
Unfortunately tenanus germ born
in the United States is quite as
deadly as one that originates in
Central Europe. A writer in the
Druggists Circular New York;
finds no reliable evidence that any
one, either friend or enemy, has
knowingly planted germs in court
plaster, or soap, or anywhere else
where the daily press would have
US believe they had been placed to
our undoing. Nevertheless, he
agrees with the health authorities
that court plaster is apt to be germ
ridden and had better be discarded
We read:
"The Circular recently addressed
letters to the health department OF
all the states ard twenty of the
principal cities of the country in
quiring whether or not analysis had
been made by them of either court
plaster or soap suspected of having
been contaminated with tetanus or
other germs by enemy agents, and
if so, what were the results of those
Investigations.
I'VE have received replies from
thlrty-three states and nineteen
cities, and in only one instance,
that of Ohio, was there a positive
statement that tetanus bacilli had
been found. Twenty states and
eleven cities reported having ana
lyzed number of samples with
negative results, and twelve states
and eight cities reported that no in
,vestigations had been made.
"a number of interesting facts
may be CLEANED from a study OF
these reports. In the first place, il
= is evident that the various health
. departments are alert to whatever
!. danger may threaten the public
health, and are willing to COOPERATE
in giving such matters due publicity
secondly, as shown by statements u
several department officials, there
is constant danger of infection from
court-plaster because OF the careles:
manner in which is it distributed
- and used; thirdly, the itinerant ven
e der is not the proper agent for the
r distribution of medicinal and surgi
j. cal supplies and should be sup
pressed; and, finally, the results OF
the investigation show the tendency
! of the newspapers to exaggerats
h "Court-plaster, if we may judge
p from the statement of certain
e health department officials, is not
e held in very high esteem by the
|. medical profession. Because of the
careless methods of distribution, and
S further, because of the prevailing
,. custom of moistening the product
with saliva before applying it to a
wound, it is almost certain to carry
germs to whatever surface it may be
applied. In view of the fact that
the product is so frequently con-
l tamnated and its use, by sealing d
wound and preventing free drainage
, actually interferes with healing pro-
cesses. Director a. 3. Wadsworth
n of the New Yor State Department
g of Health, hold that the use OF the
n court plaster by the lay public ought
n to be discouraged
e "The method of distribution by
e itinerant vendors is attacked by sew,
f eral of the board officials, and thi:
: might not be a bad time to push
e legislative measures designed to curl
the activities of these distributors
e 1t has been evident to the phar.
[. maceutical profession for years that
It the distribution of medicinal sub
: stances should be confined to phar
l. macists, and that such materials
6 should come only from approved
S sources"
tt Advices received from Fairbank: