The aseptic treatment of wounds in ophthalmic surgery / by Angus McGillivray.

  • MacGillivray, Angus.
Date:
1898
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The aseptic treatment of wounds in ophthalmic surgery / by Angus McGillivray. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    11/22 (page 9)
    Physiological salt solution (’6 per cent.) is prepared with pure sodium chloride and distilled water, and boiled for five minutes in a special douche, which prevents contamination of the solution after being sterilised. The douche is simply a Florence flask wash-bottle, with the nozzle aud air-tube modified. The nozzle, when not in use, is capped with a larger piece of glass tubing sealed at one end, and the outer end of the air-tube is bent at a sharp angle so as to look downwards. Organisms ai'e thus prevented from entering while the douche is stand- ing, so that the solution can be kept sterile for any length of time. If the douche be used, there is a, possibility of organisms entering through the air-tube with the ingoing air. This, however, can be overcome, if desired, by placing a small plug of cotton wool in the outer end of the air-tube. Cotton wool is cut to the size and shape required for the dressing, and placed in small tin boxes provided with well-fitting lids. It is then subjected to nascent steam in a Schiminelbusch steriliser for one hour, which gives ample time for securing complete sterilisation through and through. The boxes are open during sterilisation, but are immediately closed after the process is completed. They can be carried about without the slightest fear of contamination, and are extremely convenient for private work, one box being sufficient to hold all the dressings required during the treatment of the case. Mops and lint are made of absorbent cotton wool and surgeon’s lint respectively. They are sterilised by being kept submerged in boiling water for half an hour, then wrung out with disinfected hands and placed under cover till required in a sterilised dish with overlapping lid. The lid of the mop dish is only removed while the surgeon or his assistant picks up a mop or piece of lint, and then it is lifted straight up for obvious reasons. The risk of aerial infection is thus obviated, as may be seen from the following experiments. Broth tubes were inoculated with pieces of mop and lint from the upper