His skill permits of many almost unbelievable corrections of defects that would otherwise evoke the pity and too often the aversion of the onlooker, especially if these occur in the faces of those that have become marred in birth or age, by accident or disease. Withal, it is a noble, generous art, worthy of far more extensive use than it now enjoys.
The above fragmentary references include a number of plastic possibilities. They are introduced only in the sense of general interest to the cosmetic surgeon, the special and detailed subject matter herein given under the various divisions have to do only with plastic and cosmetic operations about the face.
CHAPTER II
REQUIREMENTS FOR OPERATING
THE OPERATING ROOM
The ideal operating room for the plastic surgeon need not necessarily be large, since it requires less work to render it aseptic. Furniture and possibly amphitheater accommodation are always a means of infection unless scrupulously cleansed, a task of time, difficult at best.
The room should be provided with large windows, with facilities for the introduction of the air from without. Two doors, and those well fitted, are all the room should have—but one being used, if possible.
The Walls.—The walls should be of plaster, smoothly laid and well painted, so that they may be readily washed down with antiseptic solutions—a daily morning rule. Glass or tiled walls are much used now and add considerably to the appearance and safety of the room, as plaster in time will crack, while the paint, owing to the heat of sterilizers or steam, often creeps and blisters, exposing an absorbing surface which readily wears down, exposing parts inaccessible for even acute cleanliness.
The Floors.—The floors of these rooms are now usually laid with tile mosaic or marble or a composition resembling linoleum. The base should be curved and all corners sloped off to improve drainage and to keep off dust and dirt.
Skylight.—A skylight of metal and glass is a valuable accessory. It should be fixed or never permitted to be opened during an operation.