"Nonadhering surgical gauze" was introduced by H. E. Fisher.1 It was prepared by saturating the gauze with a soft paraffin mixture made by the addition of petrolatum, lanolin or stearic acid to paraffin. Fisher asserts especially that the blocking of the fibers prevents matting with secretions and débris; that it prevents adherence of the gauze, and that the granulations of tissue repair are not injured when the dressing is removed.
While working on paraffin bandages, I became interested in the permeability of such bandages as influenced by various waxes and oily preparations. A series of gauzes of loose and close mesh were prepared by impregnating them with paraffins of different hardness, ranging from hard paraffin to liquid petrolatum.
As the result of experiments I find that "oiled gauze," that is, gauze that is impregnated with liquid petrolatum, holds out considerable promise of usefulness. Cotton sponges wrapped in this oiled