Medicine: Germicidal Light

At Durham, N. C.'s Duke Hospital, Surgeon-in-Chief Julian Deryl Hart last week braced himself to answer a barrage of questions excited by a report in Modern Hospital concerning novel use of ultraviolet light as an antiseptic agent in operating rooms. Over his operating table Dr. Hart had rigged a grid of light tubes which project an invisible light which within five minutes effectively kills almost all germs within a radius of five feet.

Before Dr. Hart rigged up his germ killing light barrage, one out of 25 patients on whose chests he operated used to die from infections. No infections developed after he began using the barrage. Without the barrage incisions required an average of 21 days to heal. With the barrage the average fell to nine days. Besides, "improvement in the entire convalescence was good. There was less postoperative pain.''

The germicidal property of Hart light has one disadvantage. Duke Hospital surgeons must wear grotesque, hooded operating costumes, otherwise repeated exposure to the radiation would dangerously "sunburn" them. With their hoods they also wear goggles impervious to the radiation. This getup, admitted Dr. Hart, "is rather warm and uncomfortable. A more agreeable and adequate protection ... is now being developed."