328 PHARMACEUTICAL BACTERIOLOGY 



should not be used after anthrax, tetanus, malignant edema, and other 

 diseases due to spore bearing bacteria. Phenol coagulates albumen, but 

 not as actively as does corrosive sublimate. 



Carbolic acid (5 per cent.) is much used for disinfecting liquid dis- 

 charges in dysentery, typhoid, cholera, and for the disinfection of sputa 

 and expectorations in tuberculosis, in pneumonia, etc., using about two 

 times as much of the disinfectant as material to be disinfected, allowing 

 the mixture to stand for several hours at least. 



A 5 per cent, solution may be prepared as follows: 



Carbolic acid (95 per cent.) 6^ oz. 



Water i gal. 



Shake thoroughly until all of the acid is dissolved. 



Carbolic acid does not destroy, bleach or discolor cloth fabric, does 

 not corrode metal, has a marked characteristic odor, is a powerful escha- 

 rotic poison, and the crystals are readily liquefied by heat, by alcohol 

 and by water. 



b. Liquor Cresolis Compositus U. S. P. This most efficient germicide 

 is a liquid soap with 50 per cent, cresol, miscible in all proportions with 

 water. The cresols used should have a high boiling-point (187 to i89C.). 

 The germicidal power of this substance is nearly double that of carbolic 

 acid. It does not coagulate albuminous matter and kills spores. 



There are a number of germicides similar to carbolic acid having 

 marked germicidal properties including creolin, cresol and lysol. These 

 are somewhat superior to carbolic acid. Lysol is a cresol mixed with soap 

 which greatly facilitates the solution of the cresol, being therefore similar 

 to liq. cres. comp. U. S. P. They all kill spores. 



c. Tricresol. Tricresol is a mixture of orthocresol, metacresol and 

 paracresol. It dissolves in water in the proportion of 2.5 per cent, and is 

 about three times as active as carbolic acid. It is less irritating than 

 carbolic acid for which reason it is preferred in sterilizing sera (about 0.25 

 per cent.) and other solutions intended for hypodermic use. Tricresol 

 kills spores and albuminous matter does not interfere with its action. 



Tricresol, cresol, lysol, solveol, solutol and creolin are usually employed 

 (as germicides) in i per cent, solutions and are generally conceded to be 

 equal to about 2.5 per cent, solutions of phenol. They, however, have no 

 superiority over the liq. cres. comp. U. S. P. 



d. Formalin. The 40 per cent, commercial article is used. It has 

 many advantages as a disinfectant. It does not injure, fade or decolorize 

 cloth or other colored fabric and does not corrode metal (excepting hot 

 steel and iron) . It kills spores and is an efficient deodorant. Albuminous 

 matter does not interfere with its action and hence it is an efficient sick- 

 room disinfectant. It disinfects and deodorizes all discharges from 



