680 
J. A. REPLOGLE. 
deavored to make an investigation of the disinfectant proper¬ 
ties of carbolic acid, more especially with reference to disin¬ 
fecting instruments and wounds. 
HISTORY. 
Carbolic acid was discovered in 1834 by Runge, who gave 
it its first description and named it carbolic acid. Its constit¬ 
uents were first investigated by Laurent, who gave it the 
name phenol hydrate. 
Embalming dead bodies is the earliest illustration of the 
systematic use of disinfectants ; for this purpose carbolic acid 
was used as early as 1843, by the Egyptians. 
In 1847 Runge said: “Carbolic acid would stop decompo¬ 
sition in putrid meat, and if the meat was then dried, would 
not decompose again,” and recommended it for embalming 
dead bodies. 
Prof. Leister, of Edinburgh, was the first to use carbolic 
acid as a medical agent. In i860 he said it would stop fer¬ 
mentation depending on an organic ferment. But it was not 
known at that time how it brought about this change. From 
i860 to 1870 but little mention is made of its being used as a 
medical agent. From 1870 to 1874 it was used by Prof. Leis¬ 
ter in dressing wounds and suppurating sores. He then called 
it an antiseptic because he believed it destroyed the germs 
that Klebs, at that time, claimed suppuration to be due to. 
At this time many other doctors began the use of carbolic 
acid in surgical work, dressing wounds, suppurating sores and 
in many forms of skin disease. After 1878 its use increased 
more rapidly until the present time. Its use has become so 
extensive and the demand so great that the United States con¬ 
sumes 70,000 lbs. annually, more than they can produce. 
Thus it is seen that carbolic acid did not come into use as a 
disinfectant by some sudden discovery through an investiga¬ 
tion of its therapeutical properties, but came into use slowly 
and gradually; first, by noticing its preserving properties, 
then the so-called healing effect it had on wounds, and along 
with the development of the germ theory it was found that it 
would destroy bacteria. 
