CHAPTER I 



General Surgery 



ANTISEPSIS. ASEPSIS. ANTISEPTICS. 



Since *Lister first advocated the emplo3mient of chemical agents 

 to prevent bacterial development in wounds, the principle has been 

 generally adopted, though it has received modification in recent 

 years. The original plan of antisepsis comprehended the disinfection 

 of instruments, suturing material, operator's hands, area of opera- 

 tion, and everything coming in contact with the wound, by means 

 of chemical germicides supplemented by post-operative treatment of 

 the wound with antiseptic agents to inhibit the growth of bacteria. 

 Antisepsis is still practised, but on this continent has given place 

 largely to the aseptic method in which the use of chemical agents is 

 limited solely to the disinfection of the operator's hands and the 

 cutis of the area of operation, sterility of instruments and suturing 

 material being obtained by means of heat; no antiseptics are per- 

 mitted to come in contact with the wound, chemical agents being 

 regarded as irritants to the tissues. Whatever advantages either 

 method may have over the other in its application to human surgery 

 it is not within our province to consider and we need only concern 

 ourselves with the one best adapted to canine surgery. There can be 

 no question whatever that the necessity for the application of the 

 principle in the latter instance has been greatly over-rated and that, 

 with a few exceptions, equally as good results are obtainable when 

 nothing more than the ordinary rules of cleanliness are observed. 

 The danger of starting up pyogenic processes consists not so much 

 in introducing bacteria from without as it does in creating condi- 

 tions within under which such bacteria can thrive to the point of 

 producing a toxic effect. It is when putrescible matter exists in 

 spaces removed from direct contact with the phagocytic action of the 

 living tissues that the conditions are ripe for bacterial multiplication. 

 Putrescible matter is easily creatable by the ligating of portions of 

 tissue, such as the omentum and large vessels, so as to form stumps ; 

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