Aging as a Factor in Wound Healing

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Abstract
The increasing longevity of the Veteran patient has created interest in all aspects of aging. In previous studies on young guinea pigs we have noted that ascorbic acid is essential, both for the production of connective tissue to insure immediate postoperative healing, as well as for the maintenance of previously formed scar tissue. Because there has been a traditional reluctance among surgeons to operate on the older human, it seemed important to make studies on aged animals, similar to those reported by us on growing animals.1-5 We realize that conclusions from our studies on the guinea pig concerning the influence of vitamin C on wound healing at various ages cannot be directly applied to the human. However, the results here presented may be applicable to man, since we have demonstrated that the metabolism of both species is similar in degree.6,7 Methods and Diets The exact life span of