CATGUT FOR SURGICAL PURPOSES 



121 



then transferred to a stoppered bottle for seventeen hours, when the hquid was 

 poured off and filtered, being clear and almost colourless. 



The germicidal property of the infusion was carefully tested by the late 

 Dr. Allan Macfadyen. In spite of the large amount of water used in preparing 

 it, he found that it destroyed the Streptococcus pyogenes in a quarter of an hour. 

 When diminished to half its bulk by evaporation in vacuo it killed Staphylococcus 

 pyogenes aureus in half an hour and deprived the resisting spores of anthrax of 

 vitalitv in two hours. When further reduced by one half, although the amount 

 of the liquid was still about twice that of the catgut to which it was applied, it 

 killed anthrax spores in an hour. 



The following is Dr. Macfadyen's account of these experiments : — 



Liquid Tested. 

 Infusion of chromic catgut = lOO c.cm. 



Organisms Used. 



Bacillus anthracis, sporing potato culture. 

 Staphylococcus pyogenes aureus, laboratory stock culture. 

 Streptococcus pyogenes, virulent culture. 



Methods. 



Threads were soaked in emulsions of the above organisms and exposed 

 to the action of the above liquid for varying periods of time — fifteen minutes to 

 two hours. The threads were then washed in (i) sulphide of ammonium, 

 (2) distilled water (sterile), and placed on sloping agar and glycerine agar at 

 blood heat for seventy-two hours 



Results. 

 Liquid Unconcentrated. 



LISTER II 



K 



