History of medical practice in Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

184 History of Medical Practice in Illinoisand serum remaining upon it intact, yet surgically clean because aseptic.On the other hand, the esthetically cleanly water dressing is surgicallydirty, because it contains elements which give rise to septic changes inwounds." This is the first mention found of aseptic surgery; it was knownto our forebears in Illinois in 1881, thanks to Lee and to the report of theLondon Congress. Lee cited his own experience in seeing how antisepticdressings were applied(in London?) and said few were perfectly done. Itis obvious from this statement that there were purists in surgery in Illinoiseven then, and the power of observation led to improved local technic ona critical basis. Lee also said: "Therefore I do not think, today, that Iwould be justified in opening a joint or the thoracic cavity without itsprotection(the spray)."In continuing with his report of the London meeting, Lee reviewedCzerny's paper on the relative value of carbolic acid and iodoform as antisepticagents in which he said: "The history of the surgeons suffering fromcarbolic acid poisoning is yet to be written." He gave the symptoms asheadache, bronchial irritation, languor, loss of appetite, dragging painsin the kidney region, heavy feeling in the legs, nausea, pruritus, insomnia,and an anemic appearing face. Lee had suffered all of these and, hearingof iodoform, he substituted it for carbolic acid. Later, however, the poisonousqualities of iodoform were recognized and reports of its poisoningwere made known.Dr. Lee also reported on sponge grafting on healing surfaces, using decalcifiedsea sponge boiled in carbolic acid asa compression dressing tostimulate epithelial growth. His report also covered MacEwen's (Glasgow)bone grafting in which he used cut up fragments containing all the boneelements. Lee also talked of precancerous conditions of the lip, tongue,penis, etc., and stated that cancer was engrafted on chronic inflammationas after syphilitic leukoma of the lip, tongue, etc. He also cited the case ofa woman operated upon by Dr. Fenger; her entire uterus was filled withcarcinomatous infiltration yet she was well after several months.Dr. E. Wyllys Andrews then spoke of the most eligible antizymotic or"internal antiseptic" to destroy bacteria within living tissues. This hadgenerally been believed to be carbolic acid administered singly or withiodine, bromine, arsenic or ammonia. He said that Declat had used purecarbolic acid internally and claimed that it cured such lesions as carcinomaof the lip, but that he had examined the case and found no real induration.A doctor who had seen the patient before he consulted Declat and beforetreatment, said the lesion was simply a chronic ulcer; hence Andrews wasexposing as false the cure of cancer by phenic acid.