48 ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE ANTISEPTIC SYSTEM 



tissues the better, so that unnecessary disturbance from its irritating properties 

 may be avoided. 



The simplest conditions are presented by an unopened abscess. Here, 

 as no septic particles are present in the contents, it is needless to apply the 

 antiseptic directly to the part affected. All that is requisite is to guard securely 

 against the possibility of the penetration of living germs from without, at the 

 same time that free escape is afforded for the discharge from within. When 

 this is done we witness an example of the unaided curative powers of Nature 

 as beautiful as it is, I believe, entirely new. The pyogenic membrane, freed 

 from the operation of the stimulus derived from the presence of the pus pent up 

 within it, without the substitution of the powerful stimulus of decomposition 

 as has heretofore been the case after the opening of abscesses, ceases at once 

 to develop pus-corpuscles, and, exuding merely a little clear serum, rapidly 

 contracts and coalesces, discharging meanwhile its unirritating contents com- 

 pletely, whether the outlet be dependent in position or otherwise. At the same 

 time the irritative fever and hectic hitherto so much dreaded in large abscesses 

 are, with perfect security, entirely avoided. 



In suppurations of the vertebrae or of the joints the results of this system 

 are such as I ventured with trembling hope to anticipate ; patient perseverance 

 being rewarded by a spontaneous cure in cases where excision, amputation, or 

 death must have resulted from any other known system of treatment. In short, 

 the element of incurabihty has been eliminated from caries. 



In compound fractures and other severe contused wounds the antiseptic 

 agent must in the first instance be applied freely and energetically to the injured 

 parts themselves, the conditions being the opposite of those in unopened 

 abscesses. The wound being of complicated form, with its interstices loaded 

 with extravasated blood, into which septic organisms may have already in- 

 sinuated themselves during the time that has elapsed before the patient is seen 

 by the surgeon, mere guarding of the external orifice, however effectually, is 

 not sufficient. After squeezing out as much as possible of the effused blood, 

 a material calculated to kill the septic particles must be introduced into the 

 recesses of the wound ; and if the substance employed is of sufficient strength 

 to operate to a certain extent as a caustic, this is regarded as a matter of little 

 moment in comparison with the terrible evil of inefficiency in its antiseptic 

 action. For experience has abundantly shown that parts killed in this way, 

 including even portions of bone, become disposed of by absorption and 

 organization, provided that the subsequent part of the treatment is properly 

 managed. 



Sloughs, as ordinarily observed, are soaked with the acrid products of 



