Disinfection of Sick-chambers, etc. 175 



two minutes in a solution of biniodid of mercury in methylated spirit; i part of 

 the biniodid in 500 of the spirit. Hands that cannot bear i : 1000 bichlorid and 

 S per cent, carbolic solutions bear frequent treatment with the biniodid. After 

 the spirit and biniodid have been used for not less than two minutes, the solution 

 is washed oflf in i : 2000 or r : 4000 biniodid of mercury solution. 



It is a mistake to insist upon the employment of disinfecting 

 solutions of a strength injurious to the skin. It must be obvious 

 to every one that rough skins with numerous hang-nails and fissures 

 offer greater difficulties to be overcome in disinfection, and more 

 readily convey micro-organisms into the wound than smooth, 

 soft skins. 



Sterilization of Ligatures, etc. — Catgut cannot be sterilized by 

 boiling without deterioration. The present method of treatment is 

 to dry it in a hot-air chamber and then boil it in cumol, which is 

 afterward evaporated and the skeins preserved in sterile test-tubes 

 or special receptacles plugged with sterile cotton. Cumol was first 

 introduced for this purpose by Kronig, as its boiling-point is i68°- 

 i78°C., and thus sufficiently high to kill spores. The use of cumol 

 for the sterilization of catgut has been carefully investigated by 

 Clarke and Miller.* 



Catgut may also and equally well be sterilized by the use of 

 chemical agents. This subject has been carefully reviewed by Ber- 

 tarelU and Bocchia,t who regard the method of Claudius and 

 the modification of it by Rogone as the best. The method of 

 Claudius is to roll the catgUt into skeins and, without taking any 

 precautions to remove any fat it may contain, place it in a mixture 

 of iodi.n i, iodid of potassium i, and distilled water 100. After 

 immersion for eight days the catgut is removed, under aseptic pre- 

 cautions, to alcohol or to 3 per cent, carbolic solution, in which it is 

 indefinitely preserved for use. 



Ligatures of silk and silkworm gut are boiled in water immediately 

 before using, or are steamed with the dressings, or placed in test- 

 tubes plugged with cotton and steamed in the sterilizer. 



Sterilization of Surgical Instruments, etc.^In most hospitals 

 instruments are boiled, before using, in a i to 2 per cent, soda (sodium 

 carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, or sodium biborate) solution, as 

 plain water has the disadvantage of rusting them. During the 

 operation they are either kept in the boiled Vi^ater or in a carbolic 

 solution, or are dried with a sterile towel. Andrews makes special 

 mention of the fact that the instruments must be completely 

 immersed to prevent rusting. 



Disinfection of the Woixnd. — Cleansing solutions (normal salt 

 solution) and disinfecting solutions (such as i : 10,000 to i : 1000 

 bichlorid of mercury) are only applied to septic wounds. 



IV. The Disinfection of Sick-chambers, Dejecta, etc. — ^The 

 Air of the Sick-room. — It is impossible to sterilize or disinfect the 



* "Bull, of the Johns Hopkins Hospital," Feb. and March, 1896. 

 t "Centralbl. fur Bakt. u. Parasitenk.," Orig. l, 620. 



