Report  on  Results  of  Use  of 
|  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
»-   November,  191 7. 
A  REPORT  OF  THE  RESULTS  OF  THE  USE  OF  THE 
CARREL-DAKIX  SOLUTION  OX  MOUTH  SURGERY.1 
By  H.  M.  Beck,  D.D.S. 
The  use  of  the  Carrel-Dakin  solution  as  a  germicide  and  mouth 
disinfectant  was  first  suggested  to  the  author  of  this  article  by  Dr. 
A.  T.  McClintock,  a  bacteriologist.  Dr.  McClintock  stated  that  he 
had  used  Dakin's  solution  in  the  mouth  in  several  cases,  with  most 
gratifying  results.  This  suggestion  led  to  an  investigation,  and 
finally  to  the  adoption  of  the  solution  in  all  of  our  surgical  cases,  to 
the  exclusion  of  all  other  drugs,  including  iodine.  Iodine  has  been 
considered  a  panacea  for  all  mouth  diseases  and  infections  for  years, 
and  it  is  only  recently  that  investigation  has  proved  that  iodine,  thera- 
peutically or  bacteriologically,  is  anything  but  an  ideal  agent.  The 
use  of  the  drug  has  been  continued  only  because  we  knew  of  nothing 
more  efficient  and  less  dangerous  to  take  its  place.  Chemical  sterili- 
zation of  a  wound  or  lesion  can  only  be  carried  out  with  a  strong 
germicide  which  is  a  non-toxic  and  non-irritating  antiseptic.  Less 
than  7  per  cent,  iodine  is  too  weak  antiseptically,  and  7  per  cent,  or 
more  is  too  irritating  and  toxic  to  be  used  on  the  delicate  mucous 
membranes. 
What  is  true  of  iodine  is  also  true  of  mercury  bichloride  and  the 
carbolic  group.  It  is  a  common  practice  of  our  profession  to  disin- 
fect an  area  by  scrubbing  it  with  iodine  just  before  injecting  novo- 
caine-suprarenin.  The  soreness,  irritation,  swelling,  and  pain  which 
often  follow  are  always  attributed  to  the  novocaine.  Careful  ob- 
servation of  the  action  of  novocaine-suprarenin  for  three  years 
justifies  the  statement  that  the  novocaine  is  not  the  offending  cause, 
and  examination  of  the  part  will  show  irritated,  inflamed,  sloughing 
mucous  membrane  such  as  could  only  be  caused  by  an  iodine  burn. 
Dakin's  solution  is  so  much  more  efficient,  less  irritating,  and 
less  toxic  than  any  antiseptic  we  ever  used  that  we  feel  justified  in 
publishing  the  results  of  our  investigations,  with  the  hope  that  others 
will  try  it  intelligent!}*  and  scientifically,  and  report  the  results  of 
their  investigations. 
Use  of  the  Solution  ix  Pyorrhea. — One  of  the  diagnostic 
signs  of  pyorrhea  is  inflamed,  bleeding  gums  about  the  necks  of  the 
1  Abstract  of  article  in  The  Dental  Cosmos,  October,  1917. 
