This section is from the book "A Manual of Materia Medica and Pharmacology", by David M. R. Culbreth. Also available from Amazon: Manual of Materia Medica and Pharmacology.
8. Antizymotics (Gr.
against, +
fermentation). These arrest fermentation dependent upon organic ferments (enzymes): diastase, pepsin, ptyalin; or upon organized ferments: yeast, bacteria, etc.: (a) Antiseptics (Gr.
against, +
rottening) - which prevent or retard septic decomposition, by killing the bacilli producing it, or by arresting their development: corrosive mercuric chloride, hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate, sulphurous acid, phenol, cresol, creosote, lysol, thymol, eucalyptol, menthol, sodium borate, boracic acid, chlorine, zinc chloride; (6) Disinfectants (L. dis, di, in two, apart, from, + inficere, infectus, infect(ion) - which destroy specific germs communicating disease (mostly microbes), by (1) acting as oxi-dizants, (2) combining with albumin, (3) chemically combining to form substitution-compounds, (4) arresting molecular changes, (5) altering the reaction of the media containing the germs: heat (110-121° C; 230-250° F.), lime, chlorinated lime and soda, ferrous sulphate, zinc chloride, potassium permanganate and dichromate, sulphurous and nitrous acids, sulphur dioxide, formaldehyde, air, water, fire; (c) Deodorants (L. de, from, + odorare, odoran(t)s, smelling) - which destroy foul odors. These may be volatile (oxidizing and deoxidizing) agents, that act chemically on obnoxious gases: chlorine, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen dioxide, formalin; or non-volatile (chiefly absorbents) agents that act by condensing and decomposing the effluvia: potassium permanganate, charcoal, earth, lime, ferrous sulphate, etc. 9. Parasiticides, Germicides (Gr.
besides, upon, +
to feed; L. parasitus, parasite, + coedere, to kill). - These kill animal and vegetable parasites existing upon the system, being applied usually in the form of lotions, solutions, washes, ointments, and oleates: staphi-sagria, corrosive mercuric chloride, mercuric nitrate and oxide, ammo-niated mercury, sulphur, sulphur iodide, phenol, iodoform, aristol, resorcin, naphthalene, betanaphthol, creosote, guaiacol.
 
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