This article on the history of Dakin’s Solution was published in the journal, Advances in Skin & Wound Care.
Dakin’s solution has been used for almost a century for treatment of infected wounds. Developed by a biochemist named Henry Dakin in the early 20th Century, it is a dilute solution of sodium hypochlorite, which is commonly known as household bleach. When properly applied, it can kill pathogenic microorganisms with minimum cytotoxicity. The story of Dakin’s Solution is inextricably attached to the Nobel Prize winning surgeon, Alexis Carrel, whose political views included eliminating society’s undesirables in the name of improving the human race. This article reviews the history Dakin’s solution, explores the connection between Henry Dakin and Alexis Carrel, and discusses how evolving technology might pave the way for a new role for this antiseptic.
The full citation is :
Levine JM. Dakin’s Solution: Past, Present, and Future. Adv Skin Wound Care. 2013 Sep;26(9):410-4
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