ANTISEPTIC TREATMENT. I 3 



chosen must be applied with great thoroughness and care at 

 the time of operating. 



The choice of an antiseptic must rest with the operator. 

 Probably those which are in most common and general use for 

 surgical purposes are solutions of carbolic acid, lysol, creolin 

 (each of which are used in from i to 4 per cent, solutions with 

 water), corrosive sublimate (i in 1000 parts), chinosol (i in 1000 

 to I in 500), boracic acid (5 to 10 grains to the ounce), and 

 biniodide of mercury (i in looo, solution being aided by the 

 addition of a little more than an equal amount of potassium 

 iodide). 



Of these, boracic acid is particularly selected for wounds on 

 the cornea of the eye ; solution of carbolic acid must be used 

 with the greatest care when operating on small dogs or cats, 

 as toxic symptoms sometimes ensue even when this drug is 

 applied only to a small area.'^ Solution of biniodide of 

 mercury has advantages over that of the perchloride, in that 

 no precipitate is formed when it becomes mixed with blood, 

 and it does not combine with albumen. Many of these anti- 

 septics can now be purchased in the convenient form of soloids, 

 one of which dissolved in a certain quantity (usually a pint or 

 a quart) makes a lotion of the requisite strength in a few 

 moments. 



' Journal of Comparative Pathology and Therapeutics," Vol. X., p. 361. 



