ANTISEPTIC VALUES 125 



percent solution will kill the ordinary pyogenic bacteria in two 

 hours. 



Sputum, urine and dejecta are best disinfected by heat. Chem- 

 icals often are inert because they cannot penetrate the albuminous 

 masses of the sputum or feces. Long contact with carbolic acid 

 acidulated with HC1 is very efficient. Concentrated formaline and 

 solutions of chloride of lime may be used, also a heavy mush of 

 lime in water. 



Boiling or heating instruments and dressings by high moist heat, 

 as in an autoclave, is the most reliable method of rendering them 

 sterile. The exposure of dressings to 150 C. for one hour, or boil- 

 ing instruments for twenty to thirty minutes makes them certainly 

 sterile. 



Disinfection of the skin is a difficult undertaking from a bacterio- 

 logical standpoint. In the deep layers of the skin, and in the sweat 

 glands and hair follicles, bacteria often exist, even after the most 

 thorough and prolonged disinfection. The application of soap and 

 water with a stiff brush is by all means the most valuable part of the 

 process, since with the removal of the dirt most of -the bacteria are 

 removed. Thorough scrubbing with soap and sterile water, 

 followed by scrubbing with a 1-1,000 bichloride solution, cleansing 

 the nails with a sterile brush, and prolonged immersion in bichloride 

 or permanganate of potash solution, complete the process. Modern 

 methods, even after all this preparation, require the use of rubber 

 gloves that have been sterilized by boiling. The faultiest part of 

 the preparation for an aseptic operation from a bacteriological 

 standpoint, has always been considered to be the sterilization of 

 the hands, and if these can be covered by rubber gloves that are 

 sterile, the fault can be surely eliminated. 



Antiseptic Values. (After Park.) 



The figures refer to the relative antiseptic powers of various agents 

 for fluids containing organic matter. 



Alum i to 222 



Aluminium acetate i to 6,000 



