210 GENERAL THERAPEUTICS FOR VETERINARIANS 



toxicity of the disinfectant, its irritant effect upon the wound, its 

 decomposition by the wound secretions, the duration of its action 

 upon the wound, the concentration and form, the price, and the 

 stage of healing in the wound. In general, the rule to follow is to 

 choose the most effective disinfectant which can be used in solu- 

 tion or in powder and which at the same time is the least irritant, 

 the least liable to decomposition, the least poisonous and the 

 cheapest; and to apply it to the wound as eariy as possible (tanno- 

 form!) and to permit it to operate as long as may be practicable. 

 A thorough cleansing should precede the disinfection. The aseptic 

 treatment of wounds has already been discussed on page 171. 

 In regard to the most important antiseptics for the treatment of 

 wounds, the following may be mentioned: 



Hydrargyri chloridum corrosivum. Corrosive sublimate. A 

 powerful but poisonous antiseptic. A 1 to 1000 solution quickly 

 destroys all microorganisms concerned in wound infection. It 

 may be used as a wound disinfectant on all animals except rumi- 

 nants. It is especially poisonous for cattle and it should not be 

 used on these animals. In contact with albuminous wound secre- 

 tions, corrosive sublimate is in part precipitated in the form of 

 albuminate of mercury and in part decomposed (formation of 

 mercuric oxy chlorides) . These decompositions, however, do not 

 essentially affect the antiseptic action of the sublimate qualita- 

 tively; and, furthermore, they can be prevented by the addition 

 of sodium chloride, hydrochloric acid or acetic acid. The advan- 

 tages of corrosive sublimate are its strong disinfectant properties, 

 its lack of odor, cheapness and convenience (sublimate tablets). 

 Its disadvantages are its high toxicity, especially for cattle; its 

 strong irritant action, especially upon the mucous membranes of 

 the eye (ophthalmology) and uterus (obstetrics), and its rapid 

 formation of an amalgam with instruments. 



*Creolin, *lysol ^ and other cresol compounds. The antiseptic 

 action of cresol preparations is very powerful and rapid. A 3 per 

 cent, solution destroys all of the organisms concerned in wound infec- 

 tion immediately. The disinfectant action of cresol is ten times 



I* The official liquor cresolis compositus is very similar.l 



