GB576720A - Sterilization - Google Patents

Abstract

Surgical instruments are sterilized by coating at least the operative surfaces thereof with a film of a composition containing a sterilizing agent in solution in a non-volatile physiologically innocuous liquid, and preferably also a volatile diluent. The film covered surfaces may be protected during transport and storage. The invention is illustrated as applied to the sterilization of the needle of the hypodermic unit described in Specification No. 540,413, but may be applied generally to hypodermic or other needles, syringes, or specula by dipping or spraying. The preferred sterilizing composition consists of anhydro-mercuri chloro-s-xylenol (0.01 to 0.10 per cent.) castor oil, and a mixture of acetone and ethylene dichloride. Acetoxy-mercuri chloro-s-xylenol, mercurated chloro-p-xylenols, anhydromercuri brom-p-xylenol, acetoxy-mercuri brom-p-xylenol, the anhydride of 4-nitro-5-hydroxy mercuri-o-cresol and phenyl phenols, chlorphenylphenols and chlor-thymols are other sterilizing agents mentioned. The castor oil may be replaced by mineral oils, soft petrolatums, ethyl oleate, corn oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, olive oil, or mixtures of olive oil and ethyl oleate, and the volatile diluent by carbon tetrachloride, ether, ethanol, methanol, petroleum benzine, and chloroform. The film forming ingredient may also be glycerin or a glycol, or a jelly such as agar, karaya, tragacanth or gelatin preferably plasticized with glycerin, whilst the volatile diluent may be substituted by ethyl oleate or sulphonated olein. A food-dye soluble in the composition may be added. According to the Specification as open to inspection under Section 91 instrument and sterile product containers and thermometers may be sterilized by the above process. This subject matter does not appear in the Specification as accepted.