214 MANUAL OF BACTERIOLOGY. 



use instruments should be thoroughly scrubbed with a brush 

 and washed with soap and hot water and boiled, before being 

 replaced in the instrument-case. 



The practice of passing an instrument through a flame a 

 few times cannot be rehed on to destroy the bacteria that 

 may be present. 



Aspirating syringes, needles, trocars, drainage-tubes and 

 glass nozzles are best sterilized by boiling for ten minutes. 

 If syringes have leather washers (which should be avoided), 

 they may be cleansed with hot water and soap, rinsed with 

 alcohol, filled and refilled with boiling water ten or more suc- 

 cessive times and placed in a 1-40 carboHc acid solution. 



Instrument trays, Hgature dishes, basins for sponges, etc., 

 are to be sterihzed by boiling for ten minutes, and protected 

 from dust with sterile towels. 



Catgut is made from the intestines of sheep, and sheep are 

 subject to anthrax infection, while tetanus bacilU may occur 

 in the intestine. Therefore, catgut must be sterihzed by some 

 method that will kill the spores of these organisms if present 

 (see Bacilh of Anthrax and Tetanus, Part IV.). There are 

 many methods devised for the preparation of sterile catgut 

 that have as a basis an incorporation within the catgut of 

 some antiseptic. They are open to the objection that any 

 antiseptic introduced into the tissues acts as an irritant, aside 

 from the fact that organisms may be liberated from partially 

 absorbed catgut. This is seen in cases of late suppuration 

 — ten to fifteen days after an operation. 



Catgut comes in sizes from double zero up to No. 8. The 

 sizes mostly used are o to 4. Catgut when ready for use should 

 be smooth, soft, pliable and very strong; wiry catgut is apt 

 to cut through tissues. 



Cumol method* The catgut is rolled on glass spools, and 



* Clark and Miller. Bulletin Johns Hopkins Hospital. Vol. XI. Septem- 

 ber, 1900. 



