144 WOUND TREATMENT 



physical disinfection agents ; second, chemical disinfec- 

 tion agents; and third, biological disinfection agents. 



Among the physical agents we class all surgical instru- 

 ments by the aid of which we can remove infected ma- 

 terial in a purely mechanical way, such as the knife, scis- 

 sors, or sharp spoon ; also the high degree of heat in the 

 form of the firing iron or thermocautery, and finally the- 

 withdrawal of moisture — namely, exsiccation and perma- 

 nent irrigation. ,i. 



The chemical agents hostile to the development of 

 micro-organisms are principally mercuric chlorid, , iodin, 

 iodoform, iodol and iodin trichlorid, carbolic acid, creolin, 

 salicylic acid, boric acid, chlorid of zinc, camphor, tar, 

 turpentine, bismuth subjiitrate, salol, and many other 

 similar mediums and prepared preparations. 



The biological products or bacterins help in disinfect- 

 ing a wound. by assisting the animal organism in destroy- 

 ing the infectious bacteria. This once accomplished, the 

 tissues proceed to make repair, and in tlie course of due 

 time, if new formations foreign to the part do not 

 develop, the desired effect will be accomplished. 



