STERILIZATION AND DISINFECTION. 
ant who has not been properly prepared by the 
free use of soap, hot water, scrub-brush and the 
after thorough use of antiseptics, especially in 
“hand cleansing.” Of what use is it to use an 
aseptic brush, antiseptic solutions and so forth 
in preparing the area to be operated upon if the 
nurse who does the scrubbing and who uses the 
solutions has been opening and closing windows 
and doors, or touching other things not aseptic, 
and then comes to take part in the work men¬ 
tioned without first thoroughly scrubbing and 
sterilizing her hands? It is after just such blun¬ 
ders as these in operating rooms, or in private 
houses, that trouble with the patient often arises. 
There is great reason to wonder why trouble does 
not arise in every case carelessly handled. Fre¬ 
quently the patient comes through the operation 
well, and for a day or two seems to be doing 
nicely, then comes a chill, a sudden rise of tem¬ 
perature, an increased pulse rate, the patient is 
restless and uneasy, and has a worn, anxious 
expression ; other symptoms more or less alarm¬ 
ing appear. The physician is hastily summoned, 
and with a grave face, which he vainly tries to 
brighten in the patient’s presence, he examines 
the chart, then mutters beneath his breath “sep¬ 
sis;” always a dreajl word even to physicians and 
nurses grown old in the work. He removes the 
bandages and dressings to find abscesses formed 
about the stitches he had put in with such care, 
or, worse still, pus oozing from between the 
stitches. Then comes a hand to hand fight to 
overcome the effects of the poison and save hu¬ 
man life, which, sad to say, cannot always be 
7i 
Blunders 
During 
Operations. 
Result of 
Blunders. 
