BACTERIOLOGY IN A NUTSHELL. 



Strength of 

 Solution. 



Usefulness 

 Limited. 



Weak 

 Points. 



disinfectants of the present day. They all de- 

 stroy spores and are not open to the objection 

 raised against bichloride of mercury with re- 

 gard to albuminous substances. They belong to 

 the same family as lysol and are known as the 

 creosols. Tricresol is accounted as the best dis- 

 infectant of the group, solutol, solveol and lysol 

 following in value in the order named, i to 5 % 

 solutions are required in order to be effectual. 



Creolin is another antiseptic used as a dis- 

 infectant for the hands, and also for the pur- 

 pose of irrigation. A five per cent solution is 

 sufficiently strong, as a rule. 



Potassium Permanganate is a fairly good 

 disinfectant, but its application is limited, be- 

 cause its action is so quickly rendered inert by 

 contact with organic matter. It also stains a 

 yellowish brown any object which it touches, 

 and the stain requires the application of an acid 

 to remove. It is used quite extensively as a 

 deodorant in offensive wounds, for hand dis- 

 infection and to irrigate cavities. Sixteen to 

 twenty grains of the potassium permanganate 

 crystals to each pint of water is the strength of 

 the solution generally used. Oxalic acid (a 

 saturated solution) is frequently used to re- 

 move the stain of potassium permanganate. It 

 is considered to be a more powerful germicide 

 than permanganate of potassium, but it is de- 

 cidedly irritant in its effects. 

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