The Testing of Antiseptics in Relation to their Use in Wound Treatment

Abstract

(1) The antiseptic and bactericidal properties of Flavines and Brilliant Green. Extended investigations have confirmed the original values. It has been shown that the inferior potencies recorded by certain other workers depend on the use of methods unsuited for the observation of antiseptic properties, i.e. they fail to detect inhibition of bacterial activity i.e. bacteriostatic action, which is exhibited to a marked degree by flavine and brilliant green.(2) For the therapy of a local bacterial infection, as in a wound, such bacteriostatic action is of great value. It is not essential that the chemical agent should by itself actually kill the organisms. Highly successful results can be obtained by a co-operation of the antiseptic and the tissues, so that the pathogenic action of the organisms is restrained. The flavines in virtue of their low toxicity to mammalian tissues and their high bacteriostatic power are therefore specially suited to act as local therapeutic agents. In addition, the fact that they are not neutralised by admixture with serum enables them to be applied clinically by a relatively simple method which does not necessitate frequent renewal.(3) The “fundamental error” to which the method of testing chlorine antiseptics originally practised by Dakin, is liable, and which Dakin and Dunham have drawn attention to, has been shown not to affect our previous results with Chloramine-T. The difference between our values and the others is due to the fact that we employed 80 per cent. serum in the test.medium, which is much more active in neutralising this antiseptic than is 33 to 50 per cent. serum employed by Dakin and his co-workers.