ANTISEPTICS— PAST AND PRESENT 39 



adverse circumstances to contend Avith in his endeavors 

 to render wounds, whether surgical or accidental, aseptic, 

 and to keep them in this condition. Even in the best 

 equipped veterinary infirmaries, so far as horses are 

 concerned, it is extremely difficult to carry out aseptic 

 surgery. No doubt by the use of iodin it is now possible 

 to sterilize the skin, but there are other points to be con- 

 sidered. 



Given an operating table, and a trained staft' of assist- 

 ants, so that the operator is concerned only with the 

 operation, and the certainty that the operator or his 

 assistants will carry out the subsequent dressings of the 

 wound, then indeed aseptic surgery and healing by first 

 intention are possible, provided the technic is carried 

 out so that the entry of micro-organisms is prevented. 



Hindrances to Aseptic Surgery 



But in ordinary practice a very different state of 

 affairs exists; the patient is cast on a bed of straw, 

 skilled assistants are not at hand, so that the operator 

 has to attend to the casting, securing, and so forth, 

 of the animal, by which means his hands become con- 

 taminated, and even the best directed attempts at asepsis 

 are likely to be frustrated by the clumsy actions of the 

 assistants. Then again, unless the practitioner is able 

 to carry out the after-treatment of the case, his primary 

 endeavors will fail, as contamination of the wound is 

 certain to occur. 



With reference to accidental wounds, it is quite ap- 

 parent that they become infected before professional 

 assistance is sought. Contamination occurs at the time 

 the injury is inflicted, and also from the treatment 

 adopted by the owner or attendant. 



Consider also the surroundings in which horses are 



