TREATMENT OF WOUNDS 87 



be boiled for at least fifteen minutes, bathed in pure 

 tincture of iodin, and then so handled as to prevent 

 contamination through trailing over unclean places or 

 from the soiled hands. 



We defend the use of antiseptic sutures instead of 

 aseptic sutures chiefly on the grounds of expediency. 

 Such sutures can be handled more carelessly with the 

 bare hands, they are less apt to get soiled from acci- 

 dentally trailing over soiled places on the patient, and 

 stitch suppuration from skin bacteria is made negligible. 

 The nature of our operations demands this expedient. 

 This applies, of course, only to removable sutures, that is, 

 sutures for the skin. Buried sutures for the underlying 

 integuments need not be so treated, but should always be 

 purchased sterilized and in sealed containers. The veter- 

 inarian has no way of safely sterilizing raw gut, and 

 therefore should not undertake to do so. 



In suturing wounds the needle is held in the needle- 

 holder, and the end of the thread that is handled may be 

 cut off when the needle is threaded. The assistant may 

 then keep the dangling end from trailing over the pa- 

 tient by holding it up with forceps as it is drawn 

 through; or the surgeon may at this stage of the opera- 

 tion put on a pair of sterilized, skin-tight rubber gloves 

 and handle the needle and thread with the fingers, keep- 

 ing the thread in the palm of the hand to prevent trailing. 

 Either of these plans will answer. 



There is no use in practicing other aseptic precautions 

 if any carelessness whatever in handling sutures is al- 

 loAved to creep in, because here we have a certain infec- 

 tion carrier. A wound may sometimes escape infection 

 from contaminated air, instruments, or hands, but never 

 from sutures that are not absolutely aseptic and carefully 

 handled. 



