

DISINFECTION OF THE AREA OF OPERATION. 87 



be covered with towels recentl}' boiled or soaked in an effecti\-e dis- 

 infectant. Convenient irrigators for holding the above 'lisinfectant 

 solutions are shown in Figs, go, and gi. 



These two principal methods, however, are not applicable to all 

 surfaces. They may require niodihcation in certain regions. In all 

 mucous membranes it is necessary to remove the mucus from the 

 surface by freel}- washing with hoilt-d water in order to permit anti- 

 septic solutions to act in<_)re 

 freely. 



The mouth is always in- 

 fected with micro-organisms, 

 and is difficult to disinfect. 

 In large animals disinfection 

 is confined to washing freel}- 

 with water followed by 2 to 4 

 per cent, solutions of boric 

 acid, I in 1000 of permanganate ot potash, or i per cent, of 

 chloral. In the dog decayed teeth should be removed, and, 

 if necessary, the gums swabbed with tincture of iodine or creolin 

 solution. 



To promote intestinal antise[)sis pre\ioiis to intra-peritoneal opera- 

 tion, the bowel should be emptied li\- a smart purge, the animal 

 placed on a reduced or milk (bet, while antiseptic- '^nlistnnrcs can be 



Fig. 87. — Sterilised silk in portable sealed tubes. 



Fig. 88. — Showing method of withdrawing silk. 



administered by the mouth. Saline purgatives in small repeated doses 

 are valuable as a preparation, after which naphthol, betol, or creolin 

 may be gi\'en in the proportion of 50 centigrammes to i gramme for 

 small animals, and 5 to 10 grammes for the horse and ox. Rectal 

 injections of a solution of i in 1000 permanganate of potash, i to 2 

 per cent, creolin, i to 2000 sublimate, or 4 per cent, boric acid, complete 

 the preparation. When, during operation, the bowel is divided, the 

 ends withdrawn from'the peritoneal cavity are kept closed by clainps 





