Sterilization of Skin

Abstract

It is frequently stated that in the strict bacteriological sense it is impossible to sterilize skin. This concept apparently arises from the use of methods which do not insure that an appropriate disinfectant is applied in active form for an adequate interval of time. Since the rich and; complex nutrients used for cell cultivation provide an excellent pabulum for a variety of microorganisms, long experience in sterilization of leprous and normal skin prior to biopsy for tissue culture induces us to present evidence that skin sterilization is not a difficult problem.

Early attempts to sterilize well scrubbed skin by painting with tincture of iodine were at times successful and at times failures. The inconstancy of the results suggested the desirability of controlling the action of iodine with respect to concentration, and time of action. By covering the area to be biopsied with a heavy patch of fabric, dripping iodine solution (tincture of iodine 1:2 in 70%percnt; alcohol by weight) on this patch until it was saturated, and then removing the patch and recleaning with alcohol after an interval of 5 minutes, the occurrence of scattered contamination was terminated. During the next several years it was noted that epithelial cells rarely if ever migrated from fragments ex-planted from the papillary or uppermost layer of the skin, while abundant epithelial cells appeared around fragments explanted from the deeper or reticular layer of the skin.

Upon the first occasion when a biopsy was taken after painting the skin with 2%percnt; Mercurochrome in Duponol as a wetting agent, good epithelial growth around papillary ex-plants appeared for the first time in our experience. Nevertheless, one after another of the culture tubes gave evidence of contamination by staphylococci until 40%percnt; of the cultures had been lost. The period of applying the iodine (1:2) patch was next shortened to 2 minutes, without trouble from contamination and with the result that the superficial layer of skin produced moderate to excellent epithelial migration.