Antiseptics

[Gk. anti, against, septikos, putrefying.] Substances w’hich act to prevent decay or putrefaction of organic materials. Among the many antiseptics may be named sugar, alcohol, carbolic acid, charcoal, nitre, alum, and chloride of zinc. They are used for the preservation of food substances. Cold has a powerful antiseptic action, and cold storage is one of the best and cheapest of food preservers. Antiseptic surgery or Bisterism is a mode of treating surgical wounds, introduced by Sir Joseph Bister. In this the wound and the instruments are treated with carbolic acid or other antiseptics to prevent dangerous germs from entering. This has proved wonderfully succe ful, and has enabled surgeons to perform operations succe fully which would have led to certain death under the old system of treatment.