SAN ANTONIO — The Military Health System is winning some key battles, but the outcome of the war against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is still in question.

Even after they are safely transported for medical treatment far from the combat zone, wounded servicemembers face powerful adversaries: multidrug-resistant organisms, which pose a greater risk to today’s injured servicemembers than those of past wars.

The war against overuse of antibiotics and the resulting resistant infections is constantly being fought at the VA.

WASHINGTON — Gentian violet (pronounced jen-shen) is not a compound familiar to most modern medical practitioners. Developed in the middle of the 19^th century, this combination of pararosanilines used as a component in dyes was eventually discovered to have antiseptic properties. Through the early part of the 20^th century, it was prescribed by physicians for simple infections and commonly used by mothers to treat thrush in infants.

At one point, copper was so inexpensive, it was used to make pennies. Now, a form of the metal may save not only money, but also lives, when used on commonly-touched items in hospital patient rooms.