After scrubbing the hands and arms, preparatory to operative or obstetric work, it is important to keep them clean. Frequently, I have seen an operator or his assistant, or both, clean the hands and arms thoroughly, then, while waiting for the patient to be anesthetized, walk around the room with their hands by their sides, brushed by a passing nurse's apron or a physician's coat.
To overcome this difficulty, I introduced into my operating room, fifteen years ago, what I call "mittens," which are nothing more than bags of double thickness. These mittens are made of canton flannel and are in two sizes, short and long. When finished the short ones measure about 6 by 13 inches, the long ones 6 by 19 inches.
They are made as follows: For the short mittens, cut two pieces, 14 by 14 inches, and fold them