DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY. 
45 
Early next morning the animal died, paraplegia having set 
in at the last. After procuring portions of the brain and the 
spinal cord, I sent the same to the New York Pasteur Institute 
for experimental inoculation, and received three weeks later the 
following reply : 
New York Pasteur Institute, 
No. 313 \V. 23d Street, New York, March 8, 1900. 
Dr. John V. Laddcy , Arlington, N.J. : 
Dear Doctor —We beg to inform you that the rabbit inoculated on 
Feb. 15th last with a piece of the brain which you sent us, died on Wed¬ 
nesday morning, the 7th inst., after having exhibited all the symp¬ 
toms of rabies. * * * Very truly yours, 
N. Y. Pasteur Institute, Per F. E. 
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY. 
By L. A. and E. Merillat, 
of the McKillip Veterinary College , Chicago , III. 
ANTISEPTIC WOUND TREATMENT (CONTINUED FROM VOL. 
XXIII, PAGE 890). 
Routine of Wound Treatment ( Continued ). 
Removal of Foreign Matter or Tissues that will Become 
Foreign and Hinder the Healing Process .—Shreds, sloughs, 
sequestra, foreign matter and infected granulating surfaces 
should be promptly and intelligently removed from all wounds, 
either surgical or accidental. It is in this step of wound treat¬ 
ment that one surgeon may demonstrate his superior ability 
over another. The skilled surgeon will intelligently perfect 
his procedure by cutting away this or that part with a scissors, 
scalpel or currette, while the bungler either omits something or 
else jeopardizes the healing of the wound, if not the patient’s 
life, by intruding upon forbidden ground. 
The aim should be : 
1. To remove all extraneous matter. 
2. To rid the wound of all tissues that can be spared, and 
that will interfere with the healing process, as a consequence of 
their impaired vitality or death. 
3. To make the wound as smooth as possible, so as to de¬ 
stroy all recesses capable of harboring wound secretions. 
4. To “ mechanically disinfect ” the wound as far as pos¬ 
sible by removing infected textures. 
To accomplish these feats often requires the acme of surgical 
skill and judgment. In the case of surgical wounds they con- 
