ANTISEPTICS, DISINFECTANTS, AND GERMICIDES 65 



such solutions are very unstable they must be prepared 

 as needed. It is used in solutions of i : 1000, and be- 

 cause of its non-toxic character may be used with im- 

 punity about the nose, mouth, and throat, where more 

 poisonous germicides may not be used. It is used in- 

 ternally as an intestinal antiseptic, but owing to its 

 unstable character it is doubtful if it ever passes the 

 stomach and reaches the intestines in its original form. 

 It may be used with satisfaction for colonic flushing in 

 dysentery and colitis. 



Turpentine. This is a germicide of some value, but 

 of limited use. The late Nicholas Senn was wont to 

 resort to its use very frequently, especially before opera- 

 tions that involved the opening of the synovial sacs of 

 joints. Its addition to the ordinary green soap used in 

 hand disinfection materially increases the usefulness of 

 the latter. 



Alcohol is a disinfectant used principally in hand 

 disinfection, where, because of its solvent action on the 

 fatty matter of the skin, it is of peculiar value. It 

 thus brings the germs out of the pores to the surface, 

 where they may be destroyed by it and other germicides. 

 It is also much used for the preservation of pathologic 

 specimens. 



Hydrogen Peroxid. This is a liquid which depends 

 upon the oxygen in its composition for its antiseptic 

 virtue. It is not of great antiseptic value, but owing to 

 its property of decomposing pus it is much used for 



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