ETHERIAL SOLUTION OF PREPARED COTTON. 181 
ART. XL.— ON THE ETHERIAL SOLUTION OF PREPARED 
COTTON. 
By Edward Parrish and W. W. D. Livermore. 
This preparation originally prepared by Professor Schon- 
bein, was recommended as an adhesive substance adapted 
to the purposes of the surgeon, in an article in the 
" Boston Medical and Surgical Journal/' under date of 
"March 22d, 1848/' by S. L. Bigelow. He there stated that 
he had accidentally discovered its remarkable adaptation to 
the rapid union of wounds by the first intention, and had 
tested its efficacy by a number of experiments. Its 
advantages were thus stated : 
1st. By its powerful contraction, upon evaporation, it places the 
edges of an incised wound in much more intimate contact than is 
obtained by sutures and adhesive cloth — unites them by equal pressure 
throughout the whole extent of the wound, and maintains them 
immovably fixed. 
2d. It preserves the wound perfectly from contact with the air — 
being impermeable to the atmosphere — while its adhesion to the skin 
is so intimate as to preclude the possibility of the air entering beneath 
its edges. 
3d. The substance remaining in contact with the skin and wound 
after the evaporation of the ether, seems to be entirely inert, so far as 
any irritating property is concerned, and this can hardly be said of any 
resinous adhesive cloth or preparation. 
"4th. It does away with the necessity for sutures in incised wounds 
of almost any extent. 
" 5th. It is sure to remain in intimate contact with the skin until 
union is complete — and being quite impervious to water, and presenting 
a polished surface, it allows the surrounding parts to be washed with- 
out regard to the wound or dressing. 
" 6th. It is colorless and transparent, thus permitting the surgeon to 
witness all that goes on beneath, without involving the necessity for its 
removal. 
