Abstract

A cheap method by which hospital blankets may be effectively disinfected (approximately 3d. per blanket) is described. A recommendation is made that blankets from the patients' beds be divided into: `socially dirty' blankets to be laundered, possibly at infrequent intervals; and `socially clean' blankets to be disinfected frequently. The wide range of a synthetic phenolic compound is described. This substance is effective against all the common pathogenic bacteria in the presence of organic matter, anionic, or cationic detergents. Details are given of laboratory trials with this method of disinfection and of pilot trials at the Group hospital laundry. The recommended method is simpler and takes less time than ordinary washing.