CICATRIZATION OF WOUNDS

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Abstract
In the study of the action of non-antiseptic substances on the rate of cicatrization, the chief obstacle encountered is the facility with which wounds become reinfected under an aseptic dressing. At the beginning of Experiment 1 the wound was sterile. It was subjected to flushing with distilled water for 2 hours, then to flushing with 30 per cent sodium chloride solution for another 2 hours. During that time no special precaution was taken to sterilize the wound and the dressing was left intact until the following morning. It was then found that the wound contained from 30 to 50 bacteria per field. The following day, after the wound had been subjected to the same treatment, the number of bacteria had increased to 50 and 100 per field, and as an immediate consequence the surface of the wound increased from 12 to 12.6 sq. cm. in 2 days. The wound was then dressed antiseptically and was found to be sterile 3 days later. Reinfection again took place the following day in spite of antiseptic dressing with chloramine paste 4 parts per 1,000, which was applied for 20 hours. In Experiment 2 similar results were observed. After 2 days of flushing with distilled water, the number of bacteria had increased to 50 per field. The wound was thereupon sterilized, but new reinfection ensued a few days later. Another wound on the same patient became reinfected under the same conditions after 1 day of sterile dressing. In none of the patients could the wounds be kept in a sterile condition throughout the whole experiment. It was impossible to maintain the sterility of a wound under aseptic dressing. Dakin's solution was therefore injected every 4 hours, or less often, according to the degree of infection, or chloramine paste was applied during the night. If there were 3 or 4 bacteria per field, the experiment was discontinued in order that the wound might be sterilized again. The cicatrization and bacteriological curves of Experiment 4 show that by the application of chloramine paste a wound may be maintained in an appropriately bacteriological condition for carrying out an experiment. Nevertheless, in spite of the antiseptic precautions taken, it was necessary to interrupt this experiment on two occasions, on December 13 to 15 and on December 18 to 22, in order that a complete sterilization of the wound might be effected. When the sterilization was performed as soon as the bacteria were discovered, little retardation occurred in the process of cicatrization. Moreover, the reinfection from the skin was often due to fine bacilli which have but mild retarding action on the rate of healing. The use of at least six flushings in 2 hours with Dakin's solution or of 12 hours' dressing with chloramine paste 10 parts per 1,000, was necessary to keep the wound in a condition of surgical asepsis.

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