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Antiseptics

Antiseptics are substances that check the growth or action of microorganisms, especially in or on living tissue. The discovery that the breaking down or decay of organic bodies was caused by minute plants, fungi, bacteria, etc. led to the idea of preventing the action of these bodies by the employment of some antagonistic substance. In medicine it has been found that many of these bacteria produce a condition known as sepsis or poisoning and when carbolic spray was used to prevent the development of these bacteria the word "antiseptic" came to be applied to any substance that inhibits the growth or destroys bacterial agents of putrefaction. Antisepsis is the application of microbiocidal antimicrobial chemicals to skin in order to reduce the risk of infection. The microbial flora of the skin can be subdivided into two general groups: transient and resident organisms. An antiseptic is intended to kill both the transient and resident flora of the skin. An antiseptic is used to kill or prevents the growth of microorganisms, and is typically applied to living tissue, distinguishing the class from disinfectants, which are usually applied to inanimate objects. Antiseptics are commonly used in the treatment of various injuries, such as cuts and abrasions. For example, rubbing alcohol or peroxide is applied to a person's injury to kill bacteria and reduce the chance of infection. Typically, a cotton swab is soaked with antiseptic that must be poured from a bottle or other container. This process can be somewhat awkward and difficult to implement, particularly by children. Common examples of antiseptics are ethyl alcohol and tincture of iodine. Alcohol is usually used to clean a subject's skin prior to insertion of a hypodermic needle; tincture of iodine is frequently applied as a first step in wound care, both uses intended to decrease the number of microbes on the skin to prevent invention.

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