SKIN DISINFECTION AND WOUND INFECTION. 
513 
Preindlsberger *, Robb and Ghriskey f, and Welch J. The re¬ 
searches of Robb and Ghriskey and Welch § have shown that 
in addition to the varying bacterial flora of the epidermis there 
is in the deeper layers of the skin, within the ducts of glands 
and possibly along the hair shafts, a micrococcus, belonging to 
the staphylococcus group, which seems to be a quite constant 
inhabitant of the integument. It frequently appeared in surgi¬ 
cal wounds, and while it seemed to be possessed of little patho¬ 
genesis it was often the apparent etiological factor in stitch ab¬ 
scesses. A very extensive series of examinations is being made 
by Dr: W. G. McDonald of Albany. His preliminary reference|| 
to this work shows that it is not always easy to obtain in the 
human subject a perfectly sterile field for operation. 
In the horse we find very similar conditions. The bacterial 
flora of the untreated skin is very rich in both numbers and spe¬ 
cies. Like the human subject it is exceedingly variable in dif¬ 
ferent individuals, and on different surface areas of the same in¬ 
dividual. Technically, however, the bacteria resting simply on 
the surface of the body where they have been brought and 
lodged by various agencies cannot be considered as belonging to 
the flora of the skin. This term should include only the bac¬ 
teria that are the inhabitants of the deeper layers of the epider¬ 
mis, the ducts of glands and along the hair shafts and follicles. In 
the horse, this flora consists of a number of genera, but micro¬ 
cocci and streptococci seem to predominate, although bacilli are 
often present. B. subtilis is very commonly encountered and 
a source of much trouble in isolating the bacteria of the skin, 
owing to its rapid and spreading growth on the surface of plate- 
cultures. Among the numerous bacteria which have been 
found in the skin of the horse, our attention has been given 
almost entirely to three species which are of interest from the 
wound infection point of view. These are : 
*Zur Kenntniss der Bacterien des Unternagelraumer U. S. W. Wein 1891. 
fJohns Hopkins Hospital Bulletin, Apr. 1892. 
t Transactions of Congress of American Physicians and Surgeons, Vol. II, 1891. 
| Transactions of the Medical Society of the State of New York. 1900. p. 46. 
