The Falls City tribune., 1910-08-26
USEFUL. BUT DANGEROUS
DR.. MoRSMAN TALKS ABOUT
CARBOLIC ACID.
a Useful But Dangerous Drug
Should Be Handled With
Caution-Its Record.

Phenol, or as it is commonly
called, carbolic acid, is a coal
tar product. 1t has been call
ed acid because OF its corrosive
action when used full strength.
1t belongs, however, to the group
of alcohols, rather than to the
acids.
The pure carbolic acid as the
druggist gets it, is a e%rystalized
solid, which melts readily into Il
liquid, but will %erystalize again
on cooling, To keep it in the
liquid state, for greater convent
ence, we add ten pr ent Of
water or %glyeerine to the melted
liquid. This is what is called
liquified carbolie acid and is en-
tirely too strong for any purpose.
Carbolie acid acquires a reddish
color from exposure 10 sunlight.
This is 40 indication Of impurity
and does not appear 10 affect its
usefulness.
Carbolic Acid in strong solu-
tion is an irritant %caustic aud al
so has a local anesthestic effect
which does not penetrate very
deeply. Diluted, it is a germicide
disenfeetant, and an antiseptic.
1t is also destructive to parasites
and the low forms Of animal life.
The drug is but little used as
an internal medicine and should
never be used except by the
physician. 1t is a corrosive pois-
on and one-half ounce has caus-
ed death. 1t has a terrible rec
ord as an agent for suicide and
has a greater number of sui
cidal deaths to its credit, or deb
it rather, than all the other pois-
ons put together. Probably the
reason for this is, that its uni
versal use makes it easier to OBJ
tain, as it is always at hand
when the suicidal frenzy is On. 1t
has caused many deaths by acct
dent, being taken by mistake for
something else. Wherever this
drug is kept, in house or barn,
the greatest care should be used
to prevent these mistakes. See
that your bottle is labeled. keep
it by itself away from other
medicines, high up out of the
reach of children or under lock.
Keep it in some out Of the way
place where you have to make a
special trip for that and nothing
else. You cannot be too care
full about keeping strong pois.
ons separated from your medi.
zines. Carbolic acid kills by par.
alvzing the respiratory centers
ahl depressing the hearts action
de carholic acid is a thick
had smelling, tarry liquid, usc6
when eheaeneSs is desired, but
exec when large quantities ar,
to be used | would not recon.
mend it. because it is of very
uncertain composition. As :
disinfectant for chicken houses
or barns it does very well.
AS an antiSeptic application Il
cuts, wounds and to clean sores
a solution of two or three pen
cent .carbolic acid in water act,
very nicely and can be appliec
frequently. For abcesSeS, ulcer,
and foul sores the solution Shoult
be about four or five per cent
and Tor veterinary uSe ven VI
To eight per cent n be used
Even n part to five hundred
of water will destroy vegetabl,
spores and microscopic anamal
culeS.
The processes of Fermentation
and putrefaction are stopped b,
Il solution of two, to five pc.
cent, and this makes it valuabl,
as a disenfectant when applied
to the cause, i. e: the putrefyins
mass, but it is not a good Olsen
fectant for odors already evoly
ed, or offensive exhalations i
only DISCUSSES them with its owl
odor. Hen houses and barns can
be kept free from lice and mite.
by spraying frequently with
solution of carbolic acid, but tn,
emulsion dips" are more conve
nient and better for this pur
pose. They all contain carboli,
acid.
/ can not name here all thu
uses of carbolic acid. Wherevel
there r germs, parasites o. put
refaction it is useful, but strone
solutions must only be used witt
caution. ~ a