134 
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY. 
SURGICAL ITEMS. 
Chloretone is a local anaesthetic that is receiving some atten¬ 
tion in human surgery, and those that have used it claim for it 
an absence of all the unpleasant and dangerous symptoms com¬ 
mon to cocaine and eucaine. The local anaesthetic effect is sure 
and safe in result.— (E. M.) 
In the Journal of the Ajnerican Medical Association , April 
13, 1901, appears a very interesting article, by J. Rilus Eastman, 
of Indianapolis, Ind., on the subject of permanent catheterization. 
It contains some very important reports of cases subjected to re¬ 
tention of catheter for a period varying from twelve to sixty-five 
days. The author states that “ The practice of permanent 
catheterization fell into disrepute before the advent of clean 
surgery.” * * * That, “ inflammation of the bladder may oc¬ 
cur during retention of catheter as a direct extension of urethri¬ 
tis, or from decomposition of urine which always moistens the 
intravesical portion of the catheter.” To prevent cystitis the 
bladder is irrigated twice daily with a solution of boric acid 
(4 per cent.) ; and, to prevent urethritis a 1 to 5000 solution of 
potassium permanganate is injected between the catheter and 
the mucous membrane of the urethra ; this is continued until 
the discharges of the urethral membrane cease. In two cases 
of lithotomy, no attention was paid to irrigation of the bladder 
and mucous membrane of the urethra, and no cystitis or ureth¬ 
ritis followed. The following deductions can be made from the 
writer’s observations : 1. That the dangers following retention 
of catheter have been overestimated. 2. That large catheters 
should be used in preference to small ones. 3. That large cath¬ 
eters are retained more easily than small ones, and that they do 
not irritate the mucous membrane as small ones. 5. That after 
the catheter has been in contact with the mucous membrane of 
the urethra for a time it develops a tolerance for the instrument. 
—(E. M.) 
» Susceptibility Increased by Individual Prophylaxis. —As a 
matter of common observation, pus infection seldom occurs 
when wounds are located where cleanliness is not possible. 
Wounds upon the hands of bricklayeis, stone masons and me¬ 
chanics seldom suppurate, while those of lawyers, doctors and 
ministers’ hands are very susceptible to pus infection, and often 
open an avenue to general infection. Localized abscesses, sep¬ 
ticaemia and pyaemia, together with other infectious diseases, are 
more common in well-bred animals of the same species 
than among those that have been subjected to the common law 
