MEDICAL COTTON

Absorbent Cotton also known as Surgical Cotton or Cotton Wool is mainly used for medical purposes in hospitals, nursing homes, dispensaries etc., Because of high fluid absorbency power, it is better known as absorbent cotton. The absorbent cotton should be chemically inert and soft to give maximum protection and should not cause irritation. These properties can be achieved by manufacturing the product as per standard method of manufacture. The raw cotton is processed by series of steps which render the cotton hydro-phallic in character and free from external impurities needed to be fit for use in surgical dressings and personal hygiene. Absorbent Cotton is also used for making conventional type of Sanitary napkins or pads besides medical purposes. And fairly good quality of cotton wool is consumed in beauty parlours for removing make up and dirt etc. Absorbent Cotton also known as Surgical Cotton or Cotton Wool is mainly used for medical purposes in hospitals, nursing homes, dispensaries etc., Because of high fluid absorbency power, it is better known as absorbent cotton. The absorbent cotton should be chemically inert and soft to give maximum protection and should not cause irritation. These properties can be achieved by manufacturing the product as per standard method of manufacture. The raw cotton is processed by series of steps which render the cotton hydro-phillic in character and free from external impurities needed to be fit for use in surgical dressings and personal hygiene. Absorbent Cotton is also used for making conventional type of Sanitary napkins or pads besides medical purposes. And fairly good quality of cotton wool is consumed in beauty parlours for removing make up and dirt etc., With the development of medical facilities and growing awareness towards personal hygiene, the absorbent cotton industry registered steady growth rate in past and is picking up pace with the spread of education and upward economic growth of towns and villages. Surgical Bandages are the products manufactured from White Bleached Cotton gauge Cloth of suitable quality. These are available in various widths of running from 2.5 cm to 15 cms and of length from 3 meters or 4 meters. These are packed in a unit of doz. for sale. These are mainly used in hospital/Dispensaries for tying the wounds after dressing. Surgical Cotton is mainly used for cleaning and dressing the wounds by Doctor and Jauhrus’s. It is also used by Tailors for putting pads in Woolen Suits etc. and making Novalties items by artists. Of course the Doctors consume the maximum quantity of Surgical Cotton produced in India. In present much advanced time the numbers of doctors are increasing drastically thereby increasing demand for surgical cotton at very fast rate. It also carried a good potential. Medium staple cottons, Bonde was to from cotton Mills or Linters from spinning Mills are used as raw materials for the manufacture of this product. To manufacture surgical cotton anyone of these three materials may be used separately or farely economical blend produce good quality surgical cotton. Cotton Raw material is cleaned and washed and bleached and sterilized properly by undergoing through a series of processes and render Hydrophile in character by sides rendering it petty free from external organic impurities. Doctors, Vaidyas, and other medical parishioners require surgical cotton and bandage for dressing ulcers and wounds etc. Surgical cotton and bandage are extensively used in hospitals, dispensaries and other institutions where treatment facilities are provided. With the spread and increase of health services in rural and urban areas as well as in the standard of living the demand for this product is increasing year after year. The present policy of the government is to reserve its manufacture for small scale. The small scale unit does not require a license for its production. Lint Cotton (ginned virgin cotton), Cotton Linters, comber cotton and various processed cottons generally available in India are the materials used to make surgical cotton or absorbent cotton and bandage. Lint cotton and comber cotton are used for high quality and long fibre cotton and bandages. Processed cotton materials and cotton linters are used mostly for low cost filler materials in dressings. The surgical bandages include the manufacture of bandages, rolled bandages, absorbent gauge and medicated gauge. In the field of surgical operations these items are indispensable. These are made of very fine and plain woven cotton cloth. The raw material required for the manufacture of surgical bandages is the bandage cloth is not readily available in the market. According to the needs and requirement for one’s own item of manufacture one should arrange with local weavers for the weaving of cotton bandage cloth. Cotton goods are made soft and absorbent by frequent washing with soap and chemical bleaching or drying in the sun. The processing removes the natural oils and waxes of the cotton fibers so that the water proof quality is lost. Generally about 15% of the raw cotton is removed in the treatment to render it suitable for surgical uses and this treatment is essentially the same for both absorbent cotton and the woven gauge. In India first distillation plant was installed at Bilaspur by a US based MNC in the year of 1973. Thereafter various local distilleries also came up at Sambhal, Chandausi and Moradabad. The survey conducted by Richardson Hindustan Ltd. determined that Tarai Area of Uttar-Pradesh would be a suitable place for the cultivation of Mentha Arvensis. The crop of menthe was successfully grown and when the mentha oil was extracted by Steam distillation, mentha crop became a viable. Hindustan Richardson Ltd. established a distillation unit in BILASPUR of district Nanital, so confidently the Farmer could grow Mentha Herb. They had supplied the planting materials as well as given technical knowledge to grow the Mentha herb. As the result the area of mentha crops substantially increased in entire tarai and western districts of U. P. mainly Nanital, Rampur, Moradabad, Badaun, Bareilly and recently extended to eastern districts viz. Barabanki, Lucknow & sitapur districts. India upto 1966 was the importer of menthol which continued up to 1986 but due to Green Revolution, which started in the year 1965. Plantation of the wonder crop was undertaken by the farmers of UP at Rampur which later on spread to various areas like Rudrapur, Bilaspur, Bareilly, Barabanki etc. Some other areas like Sitapur, Faizabad, Gonda and Baraich; these areas are counted within Barabanki.