DISINFECTANTS AND DISINFECTION. 173 



and phenol (without the hydrochloric acid) are not very satisfactory for 

 disinfecting excreta because of the coagulating effects upon albuminous 

 matter. Liquor cres. comp. U. S. P., lysol and tricresol (2-2.5 per cent, 

 solutions) may be used. Weak disinfectants or untried patent or proprietary 

 disinfectants should never be used for above purposes. For example, 

 permanganate of potassium, boric acid, borax, glycothymoline, borol, etc., 

 would be valueless as disinfectants for excreta. 



b. Disinfection of Patient. — This includes cleaning the body surface 

 with soap and vi^ater, with 50 to 70 per cent, alcohol, washing with i to 2.5 

 per cent, solutions of phenol, cres. comp., lysol or creolin, when so ordered by 

 the attending physician. Bichloride of mercury (1-2000 to i-iooo) may 

 be used for skin disinfection. A saturated solution of boric acid, normal 

 salt solution or a i-iooo solution of permanganate of potassium may be used 

 as a wash or irrigation for non-infected wounds and cuts, etc., but not for 

 ulcers, abscesses, etc. 



Irritating disinfectants should not, for very obvious reasons, be used. 

 In every case the mode of procedure in the disinfection of the patient will 

 be outlined by the attending physician. 



Nurses, attendants and physicians must observe the necessary precautions 

 against becoming disseminators of the infection and must resort to certain 

 methods of self disinfection after each visit to the patient, as in small-pox, 

 plague, diphtheria and other communicable diseases. 



c. Disinfection of the Clothing Worn by the Patient and of the Bedding. — 

 All clothing worn by the patient and all bedding, as soon as ordered changed, 

 should at once be immersed in a hot, 5 per cent, solution of carbolic acid or a 

 2.5 per cent, solution of cres. comp. or lysol. After soaking for several hours 

 the clothing should be boiled in water for 30 minutes at least. After thorough 

 drying, preferably in the sun, the clothing should be well ironed. The iron- 

 ing process in itself has very marked germicidal powers. Clothing may 

 also be disinfected in formalin (4 per cent.) . Sulphate of copper and sulphate 

 of iron discolor and corrode the cloth. All cloth fabrics and clothing which 

 has been in close contact with a patient suffering from diphtheria, cholera, 

 plague or small-pox, should be destroyed by burning whenever possible. 



d. Disinfection of the Sick Room. — The bed frame, the chairs and other 

 wooden furniture, the floor and the wood work of the room, may be 

 washed or wiped with corrosive sublimate (i-iooo), formalin (3-4 per cent.) 

 or phenol (5 per cent.), if contamination is suspected or if so ordered by 

 the physician, even while the room is still occupied by the patient. 



Just as soon as the patient is taken from the room, a thorough disinfec- 

 tion should be carried out at once, the disinfection including furniture, 

 clothing of the patient, bedding, mattresses, pillows, etc., excepting such 

 articles as are ordered destroyed by burning. 



