SURGICAL CATGUT

Hokitika Guardian, 17 February 1927, Page 1

SURGICAL CATGUT

GERMANY’S LOST TRADE. WFLLLXGTOX. Fob. 15. Prior to the Great War England was dependent upon Germany for very many ol her requirements, particularly I hose that involved the greatest scientific skill in their manufacture. For nearly seventy years before tbe outbreak ol hostilities all the sterile surgical catgut used by her surgeons at tbe operating table came from Germany. With supplies cut o(f in 1918. and the demand increasing owing to llks slaughter 'among the armies in the field, Britain was faced with the irobloiu of manufacturing her own requirements, After prolonged experiments, in consultation with the best surgical opinion in Britain, backed up by trained chemical and bacteriological (kill, ligatures were first, prepared in 1916, a large factorx for the maunl'acI ure of surgical catgut being estabished at Edinburgh, the Government luring the war period taking all that could bo produced.

Visiting New Zealand for the Medical Congress, which has just, concluded at Dunedin, is Air G. F. Merson. F.C.S., F.R.S.E.. who is managing director of the factory whore this sterile surgical oUtgut was first, manufactured in the Empire at Edinburgh, and where it is still being produced. Mr Merson. has just spent six weeks in Australia inspecting the chief hospitals and interviewing tbe leading surgeons, “My visit to Australia and New Zealand.” said Mr Merson ‘‘has been an eye-opener, and T did not realise how important the colonies really were. I have come out here to find what the conditions aro and study them on the spot in an effort to build up trade. T hope to spend a fortnight in the .South Island and Vi similar period in the North, seeing your hospitals and seeing your country. Mr Merson remarked that every anturn li iie visited tbe Highlands of Scotland from where be purchased supplies of hardy Highland black-faced sheep, from which was made tbe sterile catgut. The industry was established in Britain at tbe beginning of 1916. and Germany lias never regained this lost trade, although she was now naturally pushing in, in an effort to recover it.