COTTON IN SURGERY.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20711, 23 November 1932, Page 2

COTTON IN SURGERY.

LINK WITH ALEXANDERTfIB GREAT. . Cotton was introduced ito.EoMj; by Alexander the Great, wfeo;brwg»* back from India the BtiMM Jgf from which was plucked -' Wool," and. stories of the cloth made. This was one; «J" coveted articles that led CoUunfoui» seek a shorter route to India. frwgs. enough, he found cotton already W*£ lished in the West Indies aaMj» mauufacturd therefrom. The g** tiou now exceeds in value the »*» -output of precious metals by w r* For surgical use the qoali*St«g; . ton depends upon length .or w> colour, and freedom from »»?««** It. is carefully tested to secure £ absence of alkalis and *»*Jj-""ja dyes which are often used to F 00 "" an artificial whiteness. . .. - Good cotton wool retauui.M ■■«* . its weight of water. Abwlute BhnjJ is assured by sterilisation and steam process at a temperature • 250 degrees. . Perhaps the public do ™* **"„, that cheap cotton wools, wta* je , manufactured to compete I?*fdl onlv, consist of very short «» , of dust and unripe fibre contonmg fibrous portion of the cotton jgaM* inevitably get into the cotton collected. These are not «*«S and therefore liable to contain go*" from the soil. , j-gjjts When a doctor operates he !»£. that all instruments, etc., are ■ lised. Admitting the necessity 0 these precautions can one attoro less than demand dressings wool that are absolutely sterile dependable? , __. bo* bur readers can, therefore *» d important it is to buy cotton other medical requirements worthy chemists who. of. their training k ™ w ,,* he tM! purity and quality m the gooos sell.