294 AN ADDRESS ON CORROSIVE SUBLIMATE 



a fatal event under circumstances which we had been accustomed to consider 

 absolute^ free from danger, made me reflect most seriously ; and the other 

 cases, though less disastrous, were also grave cause for reflection. 



In looking for the source of our misfortunes, it was to the external dressing 

 that we naturally turned our attention. The experiences of Mr. Cheyne and 

 Professor Ogston indicate pretty distinctly that the means which we ordinarily 

 use are sufficient for the purpose of rendering our wounds free from mischievous 

 micro-organisms at the time we put on our dressings. Both Mr. Cheyne and 

 Professor Ogston have found, by using the most advanced methods of investi- 

 gation, that if a carbolic-acid gauze dressing is changed daily, no organisms are 

 met with in the discharges. That, I say, seems pretty conclusive evidence 

 that the means which we have adopted hitherto for the purpose of keeping 

 our wounds pure, up to the time when the dressings are applied, are sufficient. 

 With regard to our external dressings, our suspicions tended to turn upon the 

 eucalyptus gauze. Eucalyptus oil is undoubtedly a powerful antiseptic, and 

 I have been using it in the form of gauze for a considerable time past. One 

 difficulty with it is its great volatility. In the first instance I employed gum 

 dammar, instead of common resin, in the manufacture of the gauze, because 

 I found that gum dammar held the eucalyptus oil more securely than the resin 

 does ; but gum dammar is an expensive gum, and, after some trials with common 

 resin, I thought I was justified in substituting the cheaper material, and for a while 

 we seemed to get good results with this arrangement. But, as I have already 

 said, more recently the results were not satisfactory. I mean that, now and 

 again, a case occurred which was unsatisfactory. On making inquiry of the 

 manufacturer of our eucalyptus gauze, I found that he had deviated from the 

 instructions which he had received as to the manufacture ; that he often left 

 the gauze, for a considerable time after it had been charged, exposed in the 

 air before folding it up, thus affording opportunity for the escape of the volatile 

 constituent in large amount ; and in hot weather, such as that during our recent 

 summer, this was more especially apt to occur. We found, as a matter of fact, 

 that the eucalyptus gauze supplied to us had not the softness which it ought 

 to have, caused by the adequate amount of eucalyptus oil. I was thus led to 

 attribute our disasters to imperfection in the manufacture of the eucalyptus 

 gauze. 



These circumstances led to a reconsideration of the subject, and to an appre- 

 ciation afresh of the disadvantages of any volatile antiseptic substance. Volatile 

 antiseptics have their own advantages, to which I need not refer, but they have 

 great disadvantages. In the first place, we are at the mercy of our manufacturer. 

 The resin and paraffin so glue the folds of the gauze together, if it is allowed to 



