1897J MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 49 



trating and hardening them; a decided advantage over 

 ether and turpentine, v^^hich certainly dissolve fat much 

 more readily, but which are much less hydrophile. In 

 order to obtain the greatest possible antiseptic effects of 

 alcohol it is obvious that the skin mast be dried, and 

 strong, preferably absolute alcohol used, and the skin 

 energetically rubbed for some little time. Since experi- 

 ence has taugh me that the germicidal principle in lysol 

 acts as a powerful antiseptic in the above mentioned 

 strength, and as a prolonged friction with absolute alco- 

 hol makes my skin uncomfortably hard and brittle, I re- 

 serve the alcohol for the field of operation only. 



The last act in my sterilization of the skin consists in 

 impregnating it with sterilized lanolin. By this pro- 

 cedure it is my intention to restore to the integument its 

 fatty protective, which has been removed to the greatest 

 possible extent by the preceding chemico-mechanical dis- 

 infection; at the same time I aim to cover up the remain- 

 ing, inaccessible bacteria. Lanolin, which is rich in 

 bacteria, is sterilized simply by heating the anhydrous 

 article over the fire in an enameled vessel to about 350 

 degrees F., whereupon it is either run into collapsible 

 tubes (sterilized in boiling water), or mixed with four to 

 five parts of anhydrous ether, as soon as it has cooled 

 below the boiling point of tlie latter, and then put into 

 patent stoppered, sterilized glass bottles. Lanolin con- 

 tains a great many impurities not soluble in ether, and 

 which sink to the bottom as a voluminous, white sedi- 

 ment; only the clear, yellow solution is used. 



Provided with lysol, absolute alcohol and ethereal solu- 

 tion of sterilized lanolin, we are enabled to disinfect the 

 skin, the most dreaded bearer of infection, as safely I 

 imagine, as is possible at this time; and with as few and 

 simple agents as can be demanded in operations in priv- 

 ate practice. 



While I practically occupy the same standpoint with 



