DISINFECTANTS, ANTISEPTICS AND DEODORANTS 727 



tissues, yet the surgical result may be perfect. Therefore, 

 in surgical operations, we should endeavor to procure 

 as small an amount of infection, or dosage of micro-organ- 

 isms, as possible, consistent with existing environment 

 and conditions. 



The following aseptic technique is especially applicable 

 in the case of any surgical operation undertaken upon a non- 

 infected part. If it is possible to carry out all the details, 

 and the result is successful, healing will take place without 

 suppuration. 



Operations upon suppurating and infected areas should 

 be conducted with cleanliness, and antiseptics are more de- 

 sirable, particularly hydrogen dioxide in full strength, after 

 thorough cleansing with normal salt solution. 



To prepare the surface of the body for operations, the 

 hair is first clipped and shaved, the skin is thoroughly 

 scrubbed with a brush, green soap and water for five 

 minutes, and then with 70 per cent, alcohol. After the skin 

 is incised there is no further necessity for antiseptics unless 

 the wound is already infected, or becomes so by exposure 

 to impure air or contact with dirt. The hands of the 

 operator, including the finger nails, should be brushed until 

 clean with green soap and water, and then with 70 per cent, 

 alcohol. It is well for all participating in an operation to 

 wear thin rubber surgical gloves after thorough hand-disin- 

 fection — in pus cases, to prevent contamination of the 

 hands ; in clean cases, to avoid infection of the wound from 

 the hands. If gloves are not worn in operating upon clean 

 cases, they are all the more useful in dressing or operating 

 upon pus cases to avoid contamination of the hands which 

 later might give rise to wound infection when the naked 

 hands come in contact with a clean wound. Instruments are 

 thoroughly scrubbed with soap and water, and boiled for 

 ten minutes in an aqueous solution of sodium bicarbonate 

 (1 teaspoonful to the quart), and then placed in a solution 

 of carbolic acid (1-40), or removed to a sterile towel. New 

 sponges only should be employed, which have been previ- 



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