ABSTRACT
Jill has quite a menagerie of pets and she regularly has to deal with various minor animal injuries. So when Johnnie, her rooster, spikes Jessie, her collie, on the muzzle with one of his long leg spurs, Jill knows what to do; she reaches for the hydrogen peroxide and thoroughly fl oods Jessie’s puncture wound with the liquid. When she applies the hydrogen peroxide, Jill sees that, as always, heavy fi zzing occurs at the site of the wound. She repeats this process several times a day for the next week, carefully inspecting the puncture for signs of infection. The injury heals without complication, and Jessie is none the worse for wear, although he has a new respect for roosters. 1. What is hydrogen peroxide, and how does it reduce the risk of
infection? 2. Why is hydrogen peroxide especially useful for treating puncture
wounds? 3. What causes the fi zzing associated with hydrogen peroxide use?
