DISINFECTION OF THE AREA OF OPERATION. 



SI 



Fig. 84.— Silk-holder for hospital use. 



be taken to shave and disinfect a large surface, while the operative 

 area should be covered with towels recently boiled or soaked in an 

 effective disinfectant. Convenient irrigators for holding the above 

 disinfectant solutions are shown in Figs. 89 and 90. 



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

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

 mucous membranes it. is necessary to remove the mucus from the 

 surface by freely washing 

 with boiled water in order to 

 permit antiseptic solutions 

 to act more intimately. 



The mouth is always in- 

 fected with micro-organisms, 

 and is difficult to disinfect. 

 In large animals disinfection 

 is confined to washing freely 

 with water followed by 2 to 

 4 per cent, solution of boric 

 acid, 1 in 1000 of permangan- 

 ate of potash, or 1 per cent. 



of chloral hydrate. In the dog decayed teeth should be removed, 

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

 solution of hydrogen peroxide. 



To promote intestinal antisepsis previous to intra-peritoneal 

 operation, the bowel should be emptied by a purgative, the animal 

 placed on a reduced diet, while antiseptic substances can be 

 administered by the 

 mouth. Saline purga- 

 tives in small repeated 

 doses are valuable as 

 a preparation, after 

 which naphthol, or 

 salol may be given 



in the proportions of five to fifteen grains for small animals, and 

 one and a half to six drachms for the horse and ox. Rectal 

 injections of a solution of 1 in 1000 permanganate of potash, 1 to 

 2000 sublimate, or 4 per cent, boric acid, complete the preparation. 

 When, during operation, the bowel is divided, the ends with- 

 drawn from the peritoneal cavity are kept closed by clamps or by 

 pressure with warm sterilised compresses, care being taken to avoid 

 soiling the peritoneum by material escaping from the incision ; the 

 bowel must not be returned, until it is certain that the wound has 



Fir;. 85.— Portable silk-holdor. 



