WHAT OP TO-DAY? 



rather than antiseptics. It is now known that the entrance of 

 germs into wounds is due to contaminated instruments or hands 

 rather than to air. If the hands of the doctor and the body of 

 the patient are washed with antiseptics and the instruments are 

 thoroughly sterilized, there is very little chance of contamination 

 from the air. The spraying of antiseptics in the air is no longer 

 done. To-day, less than one per cent of the patients subjected 

 to operation for compound fractures die. 



Many of the mistakes of yesterday prevail even to-day. Along 

 with pure science come the pseudo-sciences. For example, 

 people were taught that definite areas > of the brain controlled 

 definite mental activities like motor control, vision, and judgment. 

 Immediately the pseudo-science, phrenology, came into being. 

 Phrenologists examined the various bumps on the head and 

 claimed that these were related to the development of areas of 

 the brain. They argued that success in selling, teaching, or ex- 

 ecutive ability could be predicted 

 if the proper irregularities were 

 present on the person's skull. But, 

 through many years of observation 

 and experimentation, it has been 

 conclusively proved that the irreg- 

 ularities in the skull do not neces- 

 sarily follow brain irregularities. 

 With the invention of the radio and 

 television came a revival in the be- 

 lief in telepathy and spiritualism. 



Interest in diets has led to fads 

 in foods. People were told raw 

 foods supplied vitamins. Some 

 people began to eat nothing but raw foods such as nuts, fruits, and 

 vegetables. Yeast was found beneficial in supplying a certain 

 vitamin, and was at once accepted, by some, as panacea for all ills. 



Underwood and Underwood 



Nurses who use antiseptic measures saye 

 as many lives as do doctors. 



