Alcohol and alcoholic preparations in surgery : their influence on union by the first intention, etc., etc. / by M. F.J. Batailhé and M. Ad. Guillet.

  • Batailhé, F. J.
Date:
1860
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Alcohol and alcoholic preparations in surgery : their influence on union by the first intention, etc., etc. / by M. F.J. Batailhé and M. Ad. Guillet. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    too weak. We have experimented also with the tinct. of iodine; but our experiments are not sufficiently numerous to enable us to judge of the relative value of the different alcoholic compounds. We have also made some comparative experiments, by leaving the wound either totally undressed, or dressed without alcohol. We have generally failed in obtaining union by the first intention and seen suppuration succeed which rapidly wore out the poor little animals. The majority died. Experiments on animals teaches us nothing of the influence of alcohol on purulent infection, phlebitis or inflammation of lym- phatics. HISTOBICAL CONSinEBATIONS. Such there are the results to which our theories and experiments on the use of alcohol in surgery ha^ve led us. We think we have shown ample grounds for fixing the atten- tion of any one who makes a business of the a healing art. » But perhaps some persons may be inclined to ask us, from whence we have our clinical facts and observations, and may refuse to listen to any other evidence. This is a vicious mode of reasoning and one which would throw obstacles in the way of many discoveries. It suffices to read our memoir in order to see that the clinical verification of its contents demands nothing less than the concur- rent application of many surgeons through many years. is this then as much as to say that we have no clinical facts, no medical authorities in support of what we have advanced; whoever thinks this does but exhibit his own ignorance. W e assert without fear, that no medical work ever rested on authorities of so great weight. Were we not afraid of incurring the charge of profanity we should say that we are the fellow workmen of Hippocrates, Ga- lien, Dionis, Ambroise Pare, in fact of almost all the old surgeons till the end of the last century. In nearly all their recipes for dressing of recent wounds and
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