CHAPTER IV. 



PREPARATION OF INSTRUMENTS, DRAINAGE TUBES, 

 SUTURE MATERIAL, SPONGES, ETC. 



Before entering upon a surgical operation it is essential that 

 the operator bestows care upon the instruments which he is 

 about to use. 



One of the most important secrets of the successful healing 

 of a surgical wound consists in seeing that injurious germs are 

 not introduced by means of the instruments, and it is very 

 essential that the latter shall be first rendered aseptic. This 

 can be readily attained by boiling for about ten minutes in 

 some form of steriliser (for which purpose an ordinary clean 

 saucepan or fish kettle can be suitably improvised), or by 

 placing for at least half-an-hour previous to use in an antiseptic 

 solution of reliable strength. To merely plunge them in an 

 antiseptic solution, as is frequently done, about a minute before 

 operating is of no value at all. 



For the antiseptic solutions trays or dishes made of glass, 

 earthenware or metal are necessary. A clean pie-dish or an 

 enamelled iron bowl can be improvised for the purpose very 



well. 



The solutions usually chosen are those already mentioned 

 when dealing with the preparation of the site of incision ; most 

 of them have some minor disadvantages although the advan- 

 tages far outweigh these. For instance, solutions of carbolic 

 acid and lysol made the handles slippery to take hold of and 

 have an astringent effect on some operators' hands. Solutions 

 of chinosol, biniodide of mercury, and corrosive sublimate dis- 



