Observations (clinical and bacteriological) on the circumstances of operative interference with mucous membranes, with reference specially to the urethra / by James H. Nicoll, M.B, Assistant Surgeon, Western Infirmary.

  • Nicoll, James H.
Date:
[1898?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations (clinical and bacteriological) on the circumstances of operative interference with mucous membranes, with reference specially to the urethra / by James H. Nicoll, M.B, Assistant Surgeon, Western Infirmary. 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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    number are rendered entirely useless. It is a somewhat strik- ing fact that those varieties which most require sterilizing by steaming stand it best, while those which have least need of it are most easily damaged by it. Those well-made catheters, for instance, in which the interior is coated as well as the exterior, are apt to suffer from even a brief steaming, the internal coating cracking and curling up, while catheters of inferior make with rough uncoated interiors suffer no material damage till the process has continued sufficiently long to affect tlie external coat. Certain catheters appear to be quite unaffected by steaming. I have in my possession a red varnished catheter and a black gum-elastic one, both of which have been steamed for not less than fifteen minutes on upwards of thirty occasions, and which appear in no way the worse. These, however, are exceptions. VI. Washing with soap and ivater. The following series of six catheters was treated in the following way —After use each was washed with warm water and soap, rinsed in fresh warm water, and held under the tap for five minutes by the clock while a full stream of water flowed through. It was then dried with a towel fresh from the laundry, and thoroughly shaken while completely enveloped in the towel, and subse- (piently placed to dry for twenty-four hours under glass, with precautions against any possible contamination. It was then split lengthwise with a sterilized knife, and the two halves were embedded in neutral gelatine. The results obtained were: (1) Black, No. 10, coude, which had been tied in for twenty-four hours in a case of old prostatic cystitis. Residt: Bacillus coli. (2) Bed varnish. No. 8, catheter, which had been used daily for three months by an old prostatic with putrid urine. Result: Cocci arranged as staphylococci and as diplococci. (3) Catheter coude, No. 12, passed in case of recent gonorrhoea in patient with old prostatic retention. Result: No growth. (4) Yellow, olivary. No. 10, catheter, tied in for twenty- four hours in case of old stricture and cystitis. Result : Bacillus coli.