33^ BACTERIA 



permanganate (i-ioo) and carbolic (i-ioo), and many manu- 

 factured bodies containing them, are also widely used. Drs. 

 Hill and Abram recommend ' that the excreta and disinfect- 

 ant be thoroughly mixed and stand for at least half an hour. 

 For various reasons they particularly advise chinosol as the 

 most convenient disinfectant for this specific purpose. 



Antiseptics for wounds. Carbolic acid (1-40) or corrosive 

 sublimate (i-iooo) are commonly used in surgical practice. 

 Boracic acid is one of the most unirritating antiseptics which 

 are known. It may be used in saturated watery solution 

 (1-30) or dusted on copiously as fine powder. It is espe- 

 cially applicable in open wounds, and as an eye-wash. 



To disiitfect hands mtd arms. Operating surgeons are 

 those to whom it is a most urgent necessity to cleanse hands 

 and arms antiseptically. Carbolic acid (1-20, or 1-40) is 

 used for this purpose. 



It is hardly necessary to add that in a case of infectious 

 disease occurring in a household many of these modes of 

 application, perhaps all of them, must be adopted. Form- 

 alin is probably the best gaseous disinfectant which we 

 have, but its use does not, and should not^ preclude the 

 simultaneous adoption of other methods. 



' British Medical Journal, i8g8 (April), p. 1013. 



