192 BACTERIOLOGY. 
an Arnold steam sterilizer for one hour or in an auto- 
clave for thirty minutes. It is placed in a perforated 
cylinder or wrapped in clean towels before putting in 
the sterilizer, and only opened at the operation. 
Todoform gauze-is best made by sprinkling sterile 
iodoform on plain gauze sterilized as described above. 
Ligatures—Catgut. Boil for one hour in alcohol under 
pressure at about 97° C. It is often put in sealed glass 
tubes, which are boiled under pressure. These remain 
indefinitely sterile. The alcohol does not injure the 
catgut. If desired, the catgut can be washed in ether 
and can be soaked a short time in bichloride before | 
heating in alcohol. Boeckman, of St. Paul, suggested 
wrapping the separate strands of catgut in paraffin 
paper and then heating for three hours at 140°. This 
procedure prevents the drying out of the moisture and 
fat from the catgut, so that it remains unshrivelled and 
flexible after its exposure. Darling, of Boston, tested 
this method and found it satisfactory. Dry formalde- 
hyde gas does not penetrate sufficiently, and is not reli- 
able. Silver wire, silk, silkworm-gut, rubber tubing, 
and catheters are boiled the same as the instruments. 
‘The Skin of the Patient. This is washed thoroughly 
with soap and water, then with alcohol, and finally with 
1: 1000 bichloride. A soap poultice is now placed on 
for six to twelve hours, and after its removal the skin 
is covered with a gauze compress previously moistened 
with a 1: 1000 bichloride of mercury solution. At the 
_ operation the skin is washed off with alcohol and then 
with the bichloride of mercury solution. 
The Hands. Furbinger’s method, slightly modified, 
is now much used, and gives good results: The hands 
are washed in hot soap and water for five minutes, 
