Read my post above, slicing an abcess to the bone is not even close to the proper treatment of an abscess. The slice should have been through the outer envelope of the abscess, then the cavity should have been packed with a piece of gauze allowing drainage( or if the abscess was very large/deep it should have been debrided or deroofed). Upon examination by another physician after release I was told I was very fortunate because the slice where it hit the tibia was only about 1/16" from the joint capsule and if the capsule had been perforated it could have lead to serious nonreparable complications, even as it was the fact that the bone did not become infected due to its exposure to the pirulent matter was fortunate.
Let me ask you if he treated it properly, even in his own opinion, why did he not bill for the services and why did any record of the procedure appear on the hospital paperwork? I never said a word to him but possibly another physician or nurse did, myself I knew at the time if I spoke my voice would quaver and I was not about to let that SOB enjoy that moment.
As to your point about lessened effectiveness of locals, while that is true they are still generally used.
http://apps.med.buffalo.edu/procedures/abscess.asp?p=1
http://www.proceduresconsult.com/med...procedure.aspx