JLm.  Jour.  Phanm. ) 
April,  1887.  J 
Antiseptic  Cottons  and  Gauzes. 
177 
Gauzes.  Loosely  woven  cotton  cloth  or,  as  it  is  commercially 
known,  cheese  cloth  is  much  more  largely  used  as  an  absorbent  dress- 
ing, impregnated  with  various  antiseptics,  than  cotton  or  any  other 
material.  It  is  technically  termed  "  gauze,"  and  its  relatively  large 
open  mesh-work  readers  it  peculiarly  adaptable  for  the  absorption  and 
retention  of  matter  issuing  from  wounds.  It  is  the  basis  of  the  larger 
number  of  antiseptic  dressings  first  introduced  by  Lister,1  in  applying 
the  so-called  "  Lister  Antiseptic  Treatment."  It  is  generally  cleansed 
and  purified,  prior  to  medication,  by  first  washing  with  a  solution  of 
sodium  carbonate  and  then  chlorinated  lime,  followed  by  water. 
Carbolized  Gauze.  This  is  by  far  the  most  important  and  the  most 
in  demand  of  all  the  gauzes  and  enters  into  medical  practice  whenever 
the  Lister  dressings  are  employed.  It  is  very  apt  to  deteriorate  on 
keeping  from  the  volatilization  of  its  contained  carbolic  acid,  but  this 
can,  in  a  very  large  measure,  be  prevented  if  the  finished  product  be 
wrapped  in  paraffin  paper.  The  formula  employed  is  based  to  a  cer- 
tain extent  upon  that  of  Von  Bran's  (carbolic  acid  10  parts,  resin  40 
parts,  castor  oil  8  parts  and  alcohol  200  parts),  but  it  varies  in  con- 
taining glycerin  in  the  place  of  the  oil,  and,  in  addition,  petroleum 
benzin.  The  following  formula  contains  10  per  cent,  in  weight  of 
carbolic  acid,  in  the  finished  product : 
Carbolic  acid  ,  239  gm.  (8  oz.  av.,  188  gr.) 
Alcohol  1200  gm.  (42  oz.  av.,  144  gr.) 
Glycerin  150  gm.  (5  oz.  av.,  127  gr.) 
Resin  300  gm.  (10  oz.  av.,  255  gr.) 
Benzin  1400  gm.  (49  oz.  av.,  168  gr.) 
Gauze  1700  gm.  (59  oz.  av.,  423  gr.) 
Triturate  the  resin  in  a  mortar  with  the  benzin,  add  the  alcohol,  in 
which  has  been  dissolved  the  carbolic  acid,  and  then  add  the  glycerin. 
Lastly  soak  the  gauze,  in  3  or  6-yard  pieces,  in  this  mixture,  knead- 
ing well,  to  secure  uniform  diffusion ;  express  and  hang  the  gauze  on 
frames  to  dry.  It  dries  very  quickly,  after  which,  fold  in  rolls  and 
wrap  up  in  paraffin  paper.  In  order  to  increase  the  efficiency  of  the 
gauze,  it  has  been  recommended  that  the  layers  of  gauze,  prior  to  ap- 
plication, be  dipped  in  a  1  to  40  aqueous  solution  of  carbolic  acid. 
In  this  gauze  the  acid  is,  of  course,  the  active  ingredient.  The  resin 
is  used  to  prevent  the  washing  away  of  the  acid  by  the  discharges 
from  the  wound,  while  the  glycerin  is  employed  to  make  the  resin  less 
1British  Medical  Journal,  Jan.,  1871,  p.  187. 
12 
