128 



EFFECTS OF THE ANTISEPTIC TREATMENT 



there had been from first to last no deep-seated suppuration, nor any local or 

 constitutional disturbance. I asked my then house surgeon, Mr. James Coats, 

 with whom the most critical part of the treatment had rested, whether he could 

 reckon pretty securely upon such results. He replied, ' With certainty.' I asked 

 the question for the sake of others who were standing by, having little doubt 

 what the answer would be, for when I left him in charge I felt sure that the 

 antiseptic management of the cases would be as satisfactorily conducted as if 

 I were present. 



At the same time, it is only right to add, that when he entered upon his 

 office, though convinced of the truth of the theory of the antiseptic treatment, 

 he by no means felt the confidence in carrying it out which he has since acquired ; 

 and if an able man like Mr. Coats, imbued with the principles which I have 

 striven to establish, required some practical initiation into the subject before 

 he could be regarded as trustworthy, still more must such be the case with 

 those who, educated in the old system, and long habituated to its practice, have 

 to unlearn cherished ideas and instinctive habits. 



But, returning from this digression, I must now speak of pyaemia after 

 the major amputations, before and after the introduction of the antiseptic 

 system. 



The hospital records are unfortunately imperfect for one of the three years 

 immediately preceding the antiseptic period. In the other two years, the 

 mortality after amputations in my wards may be gathered from the following 

 tables : — 



Before the Antiseptic Period. 

 1864 



No. of 

 Amputations. Recoveries. Deaths. 



Seat of Amputation. 



Shoulder 



Arm 

 Forearm 



Thigh . 

 Leg 

 Knee 

 Ankle . 



Totals 



I 



3 

 



I 



4 

 2 



3 

 ^7 



o 



I 



3 

 I 

 2 



10 



o 

 I 

 I 

 I 



1866 



Arm 

 Elbow . 

 Forearm 



Thigh . 

 Knee 

 Leg 

 Ankle . 



2 

 I 



2 



4 

 6 



1 

 o 



2 



o 



4 

 I 

 I 



I 



I 

 o 



4 

 2 

 o 



I 



Totals 



18 



