DISINFECTION OF INFECTED CARRIERS, ETC. 47 
tirely discarded in human surgery. For veterinary operations 
occasional irrigation with weak solutions’ of mercuric chlorid 
is sufficient to render innocuous any organism that find their 
way to the wound through this medium.—L. A. M.J 
2. HANDS AND CLOTHING OF THE SURGEON. 
As the surgeon continually uses his hands on the wound, 
special care must be given to them. KUEMMELL and 
FORSTER tried to ascertain experimentally what mode of 
cleaning and disinfecting is necessary to make the hands free 
from bacteria. Both authors agree that a five minutes’ wash- 
ing and brushing with warm water and potash soap is neces- 
sary, they disagree however, in regard to additional neces- 
sary disinfection, inasmuch as ‘after having first washed the 
hands KUEMELL recommends bathing them in a five per 
cent. solution of carbolic acid or liquor chlori, and not with 
mercuric chlorid, while FORSTER adopted the latter and 
condemned the former. According to my experience, it is en- 
tirely sufficient if the hands and forearms, after carefully clean- 
ing them with soap and a sharp brush, the nail bed and matrix 
’ being chiefly considered, are well washed with a 0.1 per cent 
solution of mercuric chloral. It is best if the finger nails are 
kept shortly trimmed so that they do not hold dirt. 
As for the clothing of the surgeon, the coatsleeves espe- 
cially deserve particular attention. As they are not easily 
disinfected, I either take off my coat entirely or bare the arm 
by rolling up the sleeves above the elbow. The use of spe- 
cial clothing for operations or treatment of wounds in country 
practice cannot be practically carried out. 
[Veterinary surgeons are not all equipped with an arti- 
ficially heated operating room and therefore, in cold weather, 
it would be very uncomfortable to perform operations with 
bared arms, especially if the procedure is a long one or a num- 
ber of operations must be performed, as is often the case in 
both city and country practice. Under these adverse circum- 
stances, the surgeon may wear a newly laundried jacket, ster- 
ilized if possible. Another method is to wear rubber sleeves. 
& 
