Vinegar and sometimes boiling water were used to disinfect their tools. Although evidence is still lacking to support the theory behind germs and bacteria, the Roman army proved an excellent form of "residence" or training ground for many physicians who learned through experience that workstations, wounds and sores had to be kept hygienic. There is also supporting evidence that the great Roman scholar Varro had a conception of contagion. When it comes to medical tools, the Romans had an assortment of sophisticated and specialized tools, including scalpels, various types of retractors, forceps, and tourniquets - extraordinarily advanced medical equipment for the time, I must add. Many of the tools mentioned above were discovered on the site of