32  Modern  Surgical  Dressings.         { A  January Pi897rm' 
water  without  drying,  rinse  in  a  solution  of  oxalic  acid,  finally  in 
soda  and  alcohol  without  drying.  After  this  washing,  only  such 
objects  as  have  been  cleansed  and  sterilized  must  be  handled  unless 
the  hands  are  rewashed.  If  for  any  reason  there  is  cause  to  leave 
the  room,  the  sterilized  garments  must  be  taken  off,  and  then,  before 
re-entering,  both  the  preliminary  and  final  washing  be  again  per- 
formed. Tracing  the  history  of  a  yard  of  gauze  on  its  way  through 
these  rooms,  its  course  would  be  somewhat  as  follows  :  It  is  first  ren- 
dered absorbent  and  bleached  (in  an  adjoining  department)  and  arrives 
at  the  ante-room  to  be  made  into  dressings.  The  jars  in  which  it  will 
be  packed,  with  their  tops,  fastenings,  etc.,  are  brought  to  the  same 
point  from  a  bath  in  hot  soda  solution.  If  the  gauze  is  to  be  im- 
pregnated with  antiseptics,  it  is  done  in  this  outer  or  ante-room. 
The  gauze,  the  containers,  labels  and  all  things  pertaining  thereto 
next  pass  into  the  sterilizing  chamber.  This  chamber  forms  a  part 
of  the  dividing  wall  between  the  ante-room  and  the  aseptic  room. 
The  chamber  is  rectangular  in  form,  large  enough  to  hold  a  wagon- 
load  of  goods.  It  is  constructed  with  thick  walls  made  of  metal> 
asbestos  and  other  non-conducting  material.  The  interior  is  lined 
with  steam-pipe  radiators  for  producing  heated  air  within  the  cham- 
ber. Doors  to  the  chamber  open  at  both  ends,  one  into  the  ante- 
room and  the  other  into  the  aseptic  room.  These  doors  are  steam- 
tight  and  held  in  place  by  ratchet  screws. 
The  chambers  are  fitted  with  steam  supply  and  escape  connec- 
tions, gauges  for  pressure  and  vacuum,  safety  valves,  exhaust  valves, 
etc.  Cars  of  iron  with  trays  carry  the  articles  to  be  treated.  Sup- 
ply pipes  controlled  by  valves  admit  live  steam  to  the  interior  of  the 
chamber.  The  actions  involved  in  the  operations  within  the  cham- 
ber are : 
(a)  Preliminary  warming  of  the  materials  to  prevent  condensa- 
tion. 
(£)  Removal  of  air. 
(c)  Circulation  of  saturated  steam  unmixed  with  air  under  press- 
ure through  every  fibre  of  the  material,  subjecting  them  to  the 
highest  possible  action  of  this  agent. 
(d)  Subsequent  exhaustion  of  steam  and  substitution  of  heated 
air. 
After  the  gauze  passes  into  this  chamber,  the  doors  are  closed 
and  it  then  becomes  a  hot-air  chamber.    The  air  is  then  exhausted 
