INFECTION OF WOUNDS. 19 
TEUR, HESSE and NICHOLAIER it is ascertained that 
in ordinary garden soil two bacilli can be found, which have 
caused great devastation in cases of operations and some- 
times in very trivial injuries, namely the bacillus of malig- 
nant oedema and of tetanus. As our domesticated an- 
imals, not only while at work but also while at 
rest, come in continuous contact with the ground 
and all such subjects that are smeared with earth, it produces 
oedema or tetanus if they get injured. 
Therefore the soil and all the items that come in direct con- 
tact with it, as far as foreign bodies that are capable of in- 
fecting a wound is concerned, should be considered as the 
main cause, and, therefore, all wounds coming in touch with 
them should be considered accordingly. 
4. RESTING PLACE OF THE PATIENT. 
If the resting places of our animals are specially discussed, 
although as far as treatment of wounds is concerned, they be- 
long to the list of foreign bodies which bring about an infection, 
it is done for the reason that they belong to the carriers of in- 
fectious germs, which in one respect offer a very favorable 
nutritive medium for pathogenic micro organisms. On 
the other hand they come into a very intimate and long lasting 
- contact with the wounds. In practice the operating bed, as an 
infection communicator, must be strictly separated from the 
stall litter, as it is the latter especially which comes into close 
contact with the wound, and doubtlessly as a result of the 
admixture of animal excretions, is more strongly polluted. 
To prepare an operating bed we usually use straw of the dif- 
ferent grain varieties in country practice. Only in rare excep- 
tions we have other material, such as sand or tan bark at 
our disposal; therefore during an operation the patient lies 
on a material, which, as a consequence of its origin, that is, be- 
catise it grows in the field and is more or less soiled with earth, 
possesses a certain amount of pathologic germs, and therefore 
contains dangerous elements for wounds. This danger rises 
cn account of the patients while lying down, often struggle 
with pain, kick with their feet, and thus whirl the noxious 
