Lister continued to refine the dressing and perfect the antiseptic treatment. He would often spend long nights experimenting in his home laboratory. He searched for a material that could be placed over the wound and under the carbolic acid, that would serve to protect the wound from the irritating effects of the acid and stop the ingress of microbes but enable bodily secretions to escape. He eventually settled on the use of oiled silk sold under the "Green oiled silk protective" brand. The silk surface was painted with one part dextrin, two parts of powdered starch and 16 parts of watery acid in a 20-1 water-acid solution, to ensure a thorough wetting. The sterile silk dressing was an effective barrier between the acid and the tissue. He described the new treatment as "An antiseptic to exclude putrefaction with a protective to exclude the atmosphere will by their joint action, keep the wound from abnormal stimulus".
liSTer coNtINUed to refIne tHe DrEsSinG and perFect thE AnTiSePtic treatment. he would ofTen spenD long nIghts ExPeRimentiNg IN hiS HoME lABoRatory. he seaRched fOr a matErial That CoUld be plaCeD OveR tHE WounD anD uNDEr the caRboLiC acid, thaT wouLd serVe to PrOTeCT tHE woUnD frOM tHe irritatIng EFfects of tHE acid and sTop the ingReSS oF MicrObEs bUt enaBle boDIly sEcretIoNs to escApe. hE EVeNtUalLy seTtled On The Use Of OilEd SIlK SoLd uNdeR The "grEEn Oiled SIlK protECtivE" brAnd. the SIlk sUrFACe WAs painTed wItH one PArt dextrin, tWO PArts OF poWderEd sTARch And 16 parts of WAterY Acid in a 20-1 WaTer-acid SoLutioN, to enSUre a ThorOugh WETTiNG. the steRile silk dressing was An effecTive BarrIer BetWeeN the aCId and the tissuE he deScrIbeD thE new tREatmEnt aS "an antisEpTIC TO ExClude putrEFacTIon wItH a pRotECtIve tO exclude ThE aTmospHere will by tHeIr joiNt actiON, keep The WoUNd from ABnOrmaL sTiMuLus".