XXXIl INTRODUCTION 
or two of serous fluid to exude. This result, though highly satisfactory, produced 
a momentary embarrassment, for there was no pus or blood with which to mix 
the carbolic acid for the new dressing. This difficulty was overcome by thickening 
a solution of carbolic acid in boiled linseed oil (1 in 4) with whitening (carbonate 
of lime). This putty-like material was spread upon a piece of block-tin and laid 
over the incision, care being taken that this dressing overlapped it widely in all 
directions ; it was fixed in position by strips of adhesive plaster, and an absorbent 
compress was bandaged over all. The dressing was renewed daily. The result 
was entirely satisfactory; the abscess cavity remained free from any septic 
change, and eventually healed, having yielded no pus from first to last, but only 
a steadily diminishing quantity of clear serous fluid. 
This case taught many important lessons ; it not only afforded a fresh proof, 
under slightly different conditions, of the truth of the theory, but was the first 
demonstration of facts since grown familiar, but which could not then certainly 
have been foretold. These were that after the original contents of an abscess, 
whether acute or chronic, were evacuated, if changes in its interior resulting from 
contact with outside morbid agents be avoided, instead of pus onlya thin serous 
fluid would be discharged and would rapidly diminish in quantity; that in 
consequence it was neither essential to open the abscess at a dependent part, 
nor necessary to make counter-openings ; that under such circumstances no 
constitutional disturbance need be feared; and lastly, that such abscesses, if 
a careful course of antiseptic treatment were persevered in, might be expected 
to close permanently. 
A purer specimen of carbolic acid was obtained before long and found to 
be soluble in water in the ratio of one part in twenty (five per cent.). After the 
introduction of this carbolic lotion the method followed in the treatment of 
compound fracture was first to wash out the interior of the wound thoroughly 
with a five per cent. solution of the acid, and then to cover its surface with a piece 
of lint saturated with carbolic oil (zr to 4) large enough to overlap it in every 
direction ; over this was put a large dressing of the putty, smoothly spread on 
calico to the thickness of about a quarter of aninch. At first, a further covering 
of block-tin was employed, but its use was afterwards dispensed with as un- 
necessary. The dressing of putty was changed daily, but the piece of oiled lint, 
soon saturated with blood, was left next the wound, harbouring under it a crust of 
blood of greater or less thickness. It became usually fairly dry, and when the time 
arrived for removing the crust and discontinuing the splints, either a firm cicatrix 
or a superficial granulating sore was exposed to view. In opening an abscess 
a large piece of lint soaked in a solution of carbolic acid (r to 4) was placed over 
the portion of the skin to be incised and left for a little to act upon it. The lower 
