MICRO-ORGANISMS 



fact, we may dwell on the scene at a sur- 

 geon's operating table in one of our mod- 

 ern hospitals. 



The surgeon himself and all his staff 

 are dressed like the old priests of Solo- 

 mon's Temple, wearing white caps and 

 gowns, with the nurses standing around 

 like priestesses all in spotless white, while 

 every one about the table has gone through 

 as many ablutions as befits the occasion 

 of a bloody sacrifice under the auspices of 

 the immaculate Goddess of Cleanliness. 

 A minute and elaborate ritual has been 

 observed of sterilizing everything towels, 

 threads, needles, forceps, instruments, and 

 what not, while the floor itself is made of 

 glass or glazed tiles, rather than of wood. 

 The surgeon himself does not venture to 

 cut the victim till he has put on his steril- 

 ized gloves, because he cannot possibly 

 clean his own fingers enough. Should any 

 onlooker take his hand out of his pocket to 

 71 



