ectant= is an agent which destroys germs of infection.

A =Germicide= is the same; an agent destroying germs.

An =Insecticide= is an agent capable of destroying insects; it is not
necessarily a disinfectant, nor is a disinfectant necessarily an
insecticide.

An =Antiseptic= is a substance which inhibits and stops the growth of
the bacteria of putrefaction and decomposition. A disinfectant is
therefore an antiseptic, but an antiseptic may not be a disinfectant.

A =Deodorant= is a substance which neutralizes or destroys the
unpleasant odors arising from matter undergoing putrefaction. A
deodorant is not necessarily a disinfectant, nor is every disinfectant
a deodorant.

The ideal disinfectant is one which, while capable of destroying the
germs of disease, does not injure the bodies and material upon which
the germs may be found; it must also be penetrating, harmless in
handling, inexpensive, and reliable. The ideal disinfectant has not as
yet been discovered.

For successful scientific disinfection it is necessary to know: (1)
the nature of the specific germs of the disease; (2) the methods and
agents of its spread and infection; (3) the places where the germs are
most likely to be found; (4) the action of each disinfectant upon the
germs; and (5) the best methods of applying the disinfectant to the
materials infected with germs of disease.

Disinfection is not a routine, uniform, unscientific process; a
disinfector must be conversant with the basic principles of
disinfection, must make a thorough study of the scientific part of the
subject, and moreover must be thoroughly imbued with the importance of
his work, upon which the checking of the further spread of disease
depends.

_Physical Disinfectants_

The physical disinfectants are sunlight, desiccation, and heat.

=Sunlight= is a good disinfectant provided the infected material or
germs are directly exposed to the rays of the sun. Bacteria are killed
within a short time, but spores need a long time, and some of them
resist the action of the sun for an indefinite period. The
disadvantages of sunlight as a disinfectant are its superficial
action, its variability and uncertainty, and its slow action upon most
germs of infection. Sunlight is a good adjunct to other methods of
disinfection; it is most valuable in tuberculosis, and should be used
wherever possible in conjunction with other physical or chemical
methods of disinfection.[20]

=Desiccation= is