TECHNIC OF ANTISEPSY AND ASEPSY. 67 
The wound to be operated upon must be protected by a dressing. 
It should be covered with layers of wadding or oakum, arranged as 
the case demands, and secured with bands. For operations upon 
the foot, the general wrapping that we have been using for about 10 
years is far superior to the ancient ‘‘pads” supported by patholo- 
‘gical shoes made ad hoc. 
Dressings applied to the superior regions of the extremities should 
be moderately tight, or cover the entire part situated below the seat 
of the lesion, so as to avoid gangrene and the arrest of the circulation. 
The first dressing is very important; often it decides the progress 
of the wound. It should be left in position a variable length of 
time. Ifthe general condition of the patient is good, the traumatic 
fever moderate, the hyperthermia little marked; and if, besides, the 
dressing remains dry, it should not be renewed under 12 or 15 
days in winter, 8 to 10 in summer. The band or gauze should be 
taken off and then the superficial layers of wadding in succession ; 
if under these the others adhere to the skin, they should be softened 
or detached with a tepid antiseptic liquid. Ifit be a foot dressing, 
the whole should then be soaked in.a pail and the skin should be 
carefully cleansed with wadding or cotton. 
In the cases where immediate union has been obtained, in general, 
the wound is cicatrized when the first dressing is removed ; if it only 
be in good condition, a second dressing is put on with the same 
attentions as for the first. Mechanical interferences and stretchings 
of the edges should be avoided ; if one or several drains are in the 
wound, they should be replaced after having been disinfected, or 
should be changed for others smaller. When the wound suppurates, 
the sutures should be cut, the drains taken out and free antiseptic 
irrigation should be made ; and to avoid injuries to the granulating 
surface and inoculations of a post-operative nature, at times a new 
dressing, with or without drainage, is applied; at others the wound 
is left uncovered, protected only by antiseptic liquids and powders ; 
the latter absorb the secretions of the wounded surface, prevent the 
pullulation of germs and diminish the absorption of toxic products. 
Various modes of treatment present themselves when local com- 
plications (abcesses, undermining, phlebitis, lymphangitis, necrosis, 
caries) have occurred. This is not the place to consider them. Let 
us say, however, that continued bathing in warm antiseptic solutions 
- acts marvelously with the infected wounds of extremities, and that 
atomizing with the same solution is excellent for disinfecting anfrac- 
tuous parts of the regions where bathing is not possible. With 
wounds of a bad nature, exposed necrosis, or fistule, one may utilize 
with advantage the steam atomizer of Championniére (fig. 33). 
Generally, in veterinary medicine, antisepsis must be simple and 
not costly; but no matter what the expense may be, it must be 
