Protection of the Surgical Wound with a New Plastic Film

Infection remains one of the major unsolved problems in surgery.1Many reports attest to the increasing incidence of troublesome surgical infections, particularly those caused by the staphylococci.2It is generally accepted that the most important causes of this increase in the incidence of infection has been the widespread, injudicious use of antibiotics, the greater susceptibility of more severely traumatized and of poor-risk patients, and the tendency of surgeons to de-emphasize the importance of aseptic techniques.3 Thomas Lister, in 1867, first brought forward the concept of asepsis in surgery by saying, in part, Admitting then, the truth of the germ theory, and proceeding in accordance with it, we must, when dealing with any case, destroy in the first instance, once and for all, any septic organisms which may exist in the part concerned and, after this has been done, our efforts must be directed to the prevention of