Disinfection of Instruments, etc. 



173 



or steamed continuously, or intermittently heated without injury. 

 For these objects disinfection must be practised. Ever since Sir 

 Joseph Lister introduced antisepsis, or disinfection, into surgery 

 there has been a struggle for the supremacy of this or that highly 

 recommended germicidal substance, with two results — viz., that 

 a great number of feeble germicides have been discovered, and 

 that belief in the efficacy of all germicides has been somewhat shaken ; 



Fig. 40. — Pasteur-Chamberland filter arranged to filter under pressure. 



hence the aseptic surgery of the present day, which strives to prevent 

 the entrance of germs into the wound rather than their destruction after 

 admission to it. 



For a complete discussion of the subject of antiseptics in relation 

 to surgery the reader must be referred to text-books of surgery. 



