SUTURING MATERIAL, DRAINAGE BANDAGES. 37 
paring catgut were introduced; thus the chromic acid cat- 
gut (LISTER), juniperus catgut (KOCHER), and sublimate 
catgut (SCHEDE), originated. Amongst all these new prepa- 
rations, none became popular, and the old LISTER carbolic 
catgut is chiefly used. 
For such sutures and ligatures that do not have to stand 
a long strain, catgut is sufficient, but in our domestic animals 
with their strongly developed muscles the catgut cannot stand 
the strain of the muscles on account of the changes which take 
place after a little time in it. Therefore I abandoned the catgut 
and used only silk. The fear that the silk may not act as a 
foreign body, because it is not absorbed, is not justified. I 
prepare disinfected silk for myself by soaking plain twisted 
raw silk in a 2 per cent. solution of sublimate water and also 
keep it there to be used when needed. Formerly I boiled the 
raw silk thoroughly, and only after that preserved it in the sub- 
limate solution, but I found that preserving it is amply suffi- 
‘ cfent for disinfection. In case of necessity, if I did not have any 
disinfected silk with me, I obtained a substitute by simply soak- 
ing the silk in a I per cent. sublimate solution, which had the 
same effect on the tissues as disinfected silk; however, I ven- 
ture this only if absolutely necessary. 
The disinfected silks generally sold, such as carbolic, subli- 
mate, and iodoform silks are too expensive for veterinary use. 
Beside catgut and silk no other suturing materials can be 
substituted in the antiseptic treatment of wotnds, although 
there have not been any lack of other preparations and substi- 
tutions, thus for instance, VIGEZZO recommended horse hair 
which he prepared, for suturing and ligating. : 
[Kangaroo tendon is prepared in Australia, and is being 
extensively used especially where great strength in the suture 
is required. It softens and becomes absorbed as readily as cat- 
gut. A. H. B.J 
The healing per primam intentionem has at all times been 
the ideal treatment of wounds, but it is impossible to succeed 
in healing all wounds thus, especially wounds that have lost 
much substance. Even if the surgeon succeeds, in the latter 
