Surgical Uses of Charged Gold Leaf

Abstract

<h3>To the Editor:—</h3> It was exciting to learn of the revival of interest in the surgical uses of gold leaf as described by Gallagher and Geschickter (<i>JAMA</i><b>189:</b>928 [Sept 21] 1964). In reviewing the literature they speak of the scant references to the use of gold for any purpose. I first learned of the protective, adhesive, and antiseptic properties of goldbeater's foil in 1925 when I was surgical assistant to the late Dr. George H. Semken. He introduced me to its use as the covering for both the donor and the recipient sites in Thiersch grafts and larger split-skin grafts. The extensive cancer dissections (in which he was a pioneer) frequently required skin grafting for complete closure of denuded areas; for these procedures he always had available a book of sterilized gold-leaf foil and a thin, broad, flat brush of the type used by sign gilders. The static charge