Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
January,  1897.  / 
Modem  Surgical  Dressings. 
3i 
polished.  There  are  no  closets  or  shelving,  no  cracks  or  crevices  to 
harbor  dust  or  dirt.  The  furniture  consists  of  glass-topped  tables 
with  iron  frame,  allowing  effectual  and  easy  cleansing.  The  princi- 
pal part  of  the  work  is  done  in  the  "  aseptic  room,"  so  called  be- 
cause all  things  within  it  are  at  all  times  kept  surgically  clean. 
The  following  is  an  extract  from  the  rules  governing  this  room  : 
"Everything  outside  of  this  room,  everybody  and  everything  passing 
into  this  room  from  the  outside  are  to  be  regarded  as  infected  until  subjected  to 
special  cleansing  operations. 
"  Everything  required  for  use  in  this  room,  or  being  brought  in,  must  be  ster- 
ilized according  to  the  prescribed  rules. 
"  All  cleaning,  sweeping  and  dusting  must  be  done  at  the  close  of  the  clay's 
•work.  Tools,  apparatus,  towels,  aprons,  aseptible  clothing,  etc.,  are  to  be  ster- 
ilized in  the  sterilizing  chambers.  The  floor  must  be  well  moistened  before 
sweeping  ;  dusting  must  be  done  with  damp  cloths.  After  sweeping  and  dust- 
ing, the  covers  upon  the  tables  must  remain  for  at  least  eight  hours. 
'  'As  often  as  may  be  necessary,  the  entire  wood  and  iron  work  of  the  room 
must  ybe  washed  with  soap  and  water,  then  with  antiseptic  solutions  ;  the 
room  closed  and  fumigated  with  sulphur  and  steam." 
Everything,  whatsoever  may  be  its  nature  or  history  outside  of 
this  room,  is  considered  as  infected  (though,  in  fact,  it  may  be  free 
from  germ  life) ;  it  is,  therefore,  disinfected  before  being  taken  into 
the  room.  The  entrance  to  this  room  is  through  an  ante-room, 
which  is  a  disinfecting  station  of  the  highest  type.  Through  this 
quarantine  all  persons  and  things  pass  before  entering  the  aseptic 
room.  The  persons  who  operate  in  this  room  are  under  charge  of 
graduate  surgical  nurses. 
The  following  extracts  from  the  rules  in  force  show  the  methods 
adopted  for  securing  personal  cleanliness  : 
"Every  person  before  entering  the  aseptic  room  must  put  on  the  pre- 
scribed washable  garments  (flowers,  ornaments,  jewelry,  etc.,  must  be  removed). 
They  must  thoroughly  wash  and  scrub  their  hands,  forearms  and  face  according 
to  the  prescribed  rules. 
"  Hand  Disinfection. — (1)  Scrub  hands,  face  and  forearms  in  a  solution  of 
ammonia  and  soap  with  a  disinfected  brush.  By  the  aid  of  a  knife  or  nail- 
cleaner,  scrape  all  particles  under  the  nails  and  on  the  margins. 
"  (2)  Wash  again  in  ammonia  and  soap  solution,  then  rinse  in  clean  hot  water 
and  dry  on  a  sterilized  towel." 
After  this  preliminary  washing,  operatives  must  pass  at  once  into 
the  aseptic  room.  Persons  engaged  in  directly  handling  dressings 
must  further  put  on  sterilized  over-dresses,  caps,  sleeves,  etc.,  and 
again  wash  their  hands  with  soap  and  ammonia,  rinse  them  in  clean 
