STUDIES IN MANAGEMENT OF CONTAMINATED WOUND .3. ASSESSMENT OF EFFECTIVENESS OF IRRIGATION WITH ANTISEPTIC AGENTS

The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of antiseptic agents in the treatment of a reproducible experimental wound infection. 1. 1. Irrigation of contaminated wounds with either 70 per cent ethyl alcohol, benzalkonium chloride, 0.25 per cent chloramine, aqueous iodine, tincture of iodine, povidone-iodine, or crystal violet provided significant protection against the development of frank infection in contaminated wounds. The effectiveness of irrigation with these various antiseptic agents in the treatment of contaminated wounds did not differ significantly. 2. 2. Irrigation of wounds with dilute solutions of either ethyl alcohol (10 and 56 per cent) or chloramine (0.1 per cent) was ineffective in the treatment of the contaminated wound. 3. 3. Treatment of contaminated wounds by irrigation with 0.5 per cent silver nitrate solution enhanced the incidence of wound infection. 4. 4. Irrigation of contaminated wounds with solutions of carbolic acid (1 to 5 per cent) was regularly associated with early mortality from phenol poisoning. Treatment of contaminated wounds with a more dilute solution of carbolic acid (0.5 per cent), which did not kill the animals, was ineffective in providing protection against the development of subsequent infection. © 1969.