The asceptic treatment of wounds / Tr. from the 2d German ed. by Alfred Theodore Rake.

  • Schimmelbusch, Curt, 1860-1895.
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The asceptic treatment of wounds / Tr. from the 2d German ed. by Alfred Theodore Rake. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    skin, and confine themselves to the most minute and careful washing, with admirable results. Disinfection of the patients skin and surgeon's hands is not a question of the use of this or that disinfectant, but to a great extent one of scrupulous care and intelli- gent thoughtfulness. The antiseptic may be selected to suit the particular case, with reference to the sensitive- ness of the skin and so forth. It is not easy to lay down rules as to the length of time for which hands should be soaped and scrubbed. Practice and skill clearly will accomplish more in a short time than half hearted measures in ten times as long. In von Bergmann's clinic, following Fiirbringer's directions, hands are disinfected in the following manner : — 1. The skin is energetically scrubbed with soap in water, as warm as possible for at least a minute. 2. It is then carefully dried and rubbed with sterilized towels or pieces of gauze, particular attention is paid to the creases and folds of the skin, which are cleaned with a wire nail brush. The space under the nail is the part that is richest in germs (Fiirbringer, Mittmann and Preindelsberger), and therefore requires special care. 3. The skin is rubbed with a piece of sterilized gauze and eighty per cent, alcohol for about a minute. 4. It is then washed and rubbed with towels and one in 2000 solution of sublimate. When the skin is very dirty, as in the case of labourers, or if it peels off very easily from having been long done up in dressings, it is advisable to rub the skin with ether before the above procedure. This re- moves coarse dirt excellently. When dirt is very much ingrained, or especially if infectious material has been in contact with the skin, this process should be repeated.