242 Biochemical News, Notes, and Comment 



of wounds at the stage of granulation. Why, then, ,has this " new " 

 method created such a Sensation? Does it not seem as if Dr. Carrel, 

 who is a physiol. biit not a surgeon, finding himself confronted by 

 facts that heretofore were unknown to him, believed his practice 

 new because surgeons had passed over in silence observations which 

 to them were not unusual? 



Prof. Monprofit of Angers believes that it is iinwise to speak too 

 much, at present, of immed. or second. reunion in surgery at the 

 front, where even now there may be seen at times unsatisf. results 

 f rom immed. reunions ; it is to be f eared that inexperienced persons 

 may be induced by such reports to attempt to produce reunions that 

 will not be favorable to the wounded. Monprofit believes that it is 

 best to hold to the classic rules of surgery — incision, opening up, 

 cleaning the wound, and drainage — the nature of the antisep. used 

 being of less importance. 



Dr. Hartmann concluded (i) that, according to the consensus of 

 opinion, disinf. of wounds of war is easier the sooner the treatment 

 is begun after the wounds have been received; (2) that this disinf. 

 may be effected by different means, Tuffier himself having described 

 a series of complicated fractures of the thigh, the humerus, and the 

 pelvis that were reunited immed. without complications after dis- 

 inf. by agents other than Dakin's fluid, thereby showing that this 

 liquid, and, consequently also, the circular he prepared, is useless; 

 (3) that the treat. of wounds described in this circular is even 

 dangerous, since it is practiced by physicians who have only recently 

 had any surg. experience. On the other band, according to Mon- 

 profit, physicians in general should realize the Utility of opening up 

 and draining. Paris letter: Jour. Amer. Med. Assoc, 1916, Ixvi, 

 p. 969. 



Lectures on asphyxiating GASES. Thc administration of the 

 med. Service has organized, in all the regiments of the entrenched 

 camp at Paris, lect. on the asphyx. gases employed by the enemy. 

 These lectures are given by an aide-major, who is a prof. of ehem. 

 and toxicol. The lecturer, after showing the composition of the 

 asphyx. gases used by the Germans, explained that a humid alkal. 

 barrier is sufficient for defense. Improvised devices are not to be 

 despised. In default of appropriate masks the nose may be plugged 



