STERILIZATION AND DISINFECTION. 



has been necessary to use instruments. The How Did 

 nurse in preparing them for the physician's use "^"^""^ 



has not been sufficiently careful, or in some 

 other way something containing the germs of 

 disease has been carried into the puerperal 

 genital tract. Again we have the character- 

 istic symptoms observed in the surgical case, gg jg Cases 

 and again the dread word "sepsis," rings in our Becoming 

 ears. Glad we are to be able to say that such 

 cases are more rarely encountered as the years 

 go by. A conscientious, well-trained nurse 

 will watch every corner, and will let no source 

 of infection escape her keen eye. She will use 

 all aseptic and antiseptic precautions herself, 

 and she will also guard well her work against 

 any such disasters (or worse) as have already 

 been alluded to 



Surgeons, themselves, as a rule, realize very r^j^^ j^^^^ ^^ 

 fully the grave responsibility of a life at stake; Owe Lister. 

 but seldom do we meet a careless one. They, 

 ■ as well as the world at large, owe a debt of 

 gratitude to Semmelweis* and Lord Lister* for 

 the discovery of the possibility of the overthrow 

 of the power of sepsis through the use of anti- 

 septics. 



Sterilization and Disinfection. We g^gj.jjj23tion. 

 often hear the terms sterilization and disinfec- 



eruptions, and there are no infections of the cord. Sterili- 

 zation of articles used for the mother serves as a further 

 protection against sepsis. 

 * See history. Chapter I. 



113 



