10 THE TONER LECTURES. 



formed ueaily twenty years ago, I have a very lively recollec- 

 tion of the painful, smarting, pricking, and sensation of heat 

 occasioned by the oxj'gen gas, and the soothing eflect of the 

 carbonic acid gas. Tlie vapor of amyline and also chloroform 

 vapor was afterwards applied. Tiiey both irritated and caused 

 a burning and smarting sensation ; the chloroform more so 

 than the amyline. When the surface of the sore was touched 

 with the finger after the application of chloroform, distinct 

 sensation was found to be present. The smarting quickly 

 subsided during the application of carbonic acid gas. I have 

 always relied upon the explanation of oxygen and moisture as 

 suflflcient to account for the decomposition of animal and 

 vegetable substances exposed to their influence, and tlierefore 

 have always taken care to avoid as much as possible the ex- 

 posure of wounds to air and water, and when cut surfaces are 

 necessarily exposed to their influence for some time, as in 

 surgical operations, I alwa^'s, before closing the wound, wash 

 the surface with some antiseptic lotion — with carbolic acid, one 

 part in forty; or chloride of zinc lotion, one part in forty — 

 which will prevent decomposition of fluids remaining in the 

 wound, the exuded serum, and the water ; and* this practice I 

 shall always continue to adopt, whether the explanation be 

 purely chemical or upon the gei'm theory, as it undoubtedly 

 promotes a rapid and healthy reparative process. 



With respect to the second question, as to M^hether the 

 action of the air in producing inflammation is to be explained by 

 the germ-theory, it is certain that amongst our best observers 

 and scientific investigators, much difference of opinion still 

 exists, and it will be long before the germ-theory of putrefac- 

 tive fermentation in wounds will receive the general support 

 of the profession. Nevertheless, the valuable and numerous 

 experiments performed by Pasteur and Professor Lister on 

 the action of filtered and unfiltered atmospheric air when 



