Antibacterial activity of oxidized regenerated cellulose.

It has been demonstrated that oxidized regenerated cellulose promptly and markedly reduces the bacterial census of ten different strains of common pathogens when exposed to them in vitro. This was not true of two other hemostatic agents tested, namely, absorbable gelatin sponge and topical thrombin. Wounds in guinea pigs in which oxidized regenerated cellulose was placed and infected with one of three pathogens had healing per primum in 39 of 40 instances. In similar control wounds and incisions in which absorbable gelatin sponge was placed, sepsis of the wound developed in 19 of 20 of the control group and in 39 of 40 guinea pigs in the absorbable gelatin sponge group.