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Credit
Modern aseptic operating technique. Public Domain Mark. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Modern aseptic operating technique.
- Date:
- 1938
- Videos
- Online
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About this work
Description
A film about the necessity of sterilising surgical instruments before and after surgery which looks at the main aspects of aseptic operating techniques as sanctioned in the late 1930s. Includes an historical introduction. We are shown the steam sterilization of dressings, the boiling of instruments and antiseptic solutions. The theatre is cleaned, an instrument trolley laid out. Scrubbing up is shown and swabs counted and checked. The operation field is isolated and instruments washed. 3 segments.
Publication/Creation
England, 1938.
Physical description
1 encoded moving image (15.55 min.) : silent, black and white
Contributors
Duration
00:15:55
Contents
Segment 1 After introductory intertitles a very dirty hand is seen. It is implied that this hand became infected after surgery due to staphylococcus. A microscopic shot of staphylococcus microbes is seen. The intertitles give a brief history of the study of infection of wounds. The intertitles state that modern methods aim to exclude bacteria altogether. This method is known as asepsis. A surgeon is seen putting on gloves, handling surgical instruments with forceps and instruments are seen being sterilised. Instructions on how to sterilise surgical instruments are given. Time start: 00:00:00:00 Time end: 00:04:59:07 Length: 00:04:59:07
Segment 2 The intertitles stress the need for sterilised instruments to remain uncontaminated. Forceps are shown being used to handle sterilised instruments. An operating table is shown being prepared for surgery, and a nurse is seen using forceps to handle the table because she has not yet 'scrubbed up'. All of the operating theatre staff are then shown 'scrubbing up'. Time start: 00:04:59:07 Time end: 00:10:15:14 Length: 00:05:16:07
Segment 3 All swabs used during the operation are counted and their purpose noted. The intertitles note that an untidy gown is a 'danger'. Different types of sterilisers are pointed out. Methods of sterilising the patient's skin are shown. After the operation, the swabs are checked so that they can be sure none were lost inside the patient. After surgery the instruments are made ready for sterilisation. Time start: 00:10:15:14 Time end: 00:15:55:03 Length: 00:05:39:14
Creator/production credits
Produced at Bow Hospital, filmed by Felix Spurr, edited by Sheila Roy and directed by J. Barlow.
Terms of use
Unrestricted
Public Domain Mark
Copyright note
Copyright previously held by British Medical Association and assigned to Wellcome in 2005