DISINFECTION AND STERILIZATION, 171 
water. This equals in value the 5 per cent. carbolic 
acid solution. 
9. Creolin, Tricresol, and Lysol are of about the same 
value as pure carbolic acid. 
The proprietary disinfectants, which are so often 
widely advertised and whose composition is kept secret, 
are relatively expensive and oftea unreliable and ineffi- 
cient. It is important to remember that substances 
which destroy or disguise bad odors are not necessarily 
disinfectants and that there are very few disinfectants 
that are not poisonous when taken internally. 
[Norr.—The cost of the carbolic solution is much 
greater than that of most.of the other solutions, but 
except for the disinfection of the skin, which in some 
persons it irritates, generally is to be much preferred 
by those not thoroughly familiar with disinfectants, as 
it does not deteriorate, and is rather more uniform in 
its action than some of the other disinfectants. | 
Methods of Disinfection in Infectious and Contagious 
Diseases. 
The diseases to be commonly guarded against, outside 
of surgery, by disinfection are scarlet fever, measles, 
diphtheria, tuberculosis, smallpox, typhoid and typhus 
fever, yellow fever, and cholera. 
1. Hands and Person. Dilute the carbolic solution 
with an equal amount of water or use the bichloride 
solution without dilution. Hands soiled in caring for 
persons suffering from c»ntagious diseases, or soiled 
portions of the patient’s body, should be immediately 
and thoroughly washed with one of these solutions and 
then washed with soap and water, and finally immersed 
