Dissection Wounds. The practical study of anatomy is attended with certain dangers, which, however, during the last half-century have been much lessened. The atmosphere of the dissecting-room, now comparatively pure by the application of proper ventilation and other sanitary measures, was, a generation ago, too commonly loaded with noxious emanations, which more or less poisoned the blood of those who continuously inhaled it, and consequently produced nausea, sickness, diarrhoea, a bad taste in the mouth, and other symptoms. Dissection wounds, which are always attended with a certain amount of risk, were rendered more dangerous by the low state of the system, induced by the depressing influence of the surrounding air. Now, probably in consequence partly of the purer air, and partly of the general and extensive use of antiseptic injections into the vessels of the subjects to be dissected, it rarely happens that severe symptoms follow a cut or puncture; it is in cases of post-mortem examinations, undertaken soon after death from erysipelas, pyæmia, and allied diseases, that there is most danger of a wound leading to serious consequences. When, however, a wound occurs during dissection, the wounded part should be tightly ligatured and encouraged to bleed freely, or if there be no bleeding, should be sucked, and then freely touched with carbolic acid or some other caustic. Such wounds, like any others, may be followed by irritation, suppuration, &c., without serious consequences. But if dangerous poison has been absorbed, and is going to act, the patient begins to have a feeling of general illness in less than twenty-four hours. He is low-spirited, faint, and chilly, and often complains of nausea. Then come rigors, intense headache, rapid and sharp (but weak) pulse, a coated tongue, vomiting (sometimes), and great restlessness. The general symptoms increase in severity, the breathing becoming difficult, the pulse very rapid and weaker, the tongue dry, brown, and often tremulous when protruded, and the skin more or less yellow. The case may terminate fatally at or before this stage; or abscesses may continue to form, from which the patient may more slowly sink; or if he survive, the arm may remain stiff and useless, or some of the fingers may be destroyed by gangrene. The treatment, both general and local, is similar to that of Pyæmia (q.v.); and see POISONS.
As a precautionary measure in post-mortem examinations, the surgeon, especially if he be out of health, or if the patient have died from a disease of an erysipelatus character, should thoroughly anoint his hands with lard. Very thin india-rubber gloves have been recommended as a safeguard to dissectors; but they have not been found to answer, probably from the constraint to which they subject the action of the fingers.