A membrane filter was used for assessing the surface disinfecting activity of phenolic disinfectants and a chloroxylenol disinfectant. The influence of the type of organism, inoculum size, and hardness of water was investigated. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was chosen for the standardized test. Disinfectant solutions were prepared in water of 300 ppm hardness and applied for two and a half minutes and eight minutes to the bacteria deposited from filtration of 1 ml of a suspension containing 10-6 bacteria. The membrane filter test has certain advantages over many tests, eg, all organisms surviving after treatment can be counted and residual disinfectant is easily removed.

Cell Count↗

PubMed1972

In-use testing of disinfectants in hospitals.

One hundred and five samples of clear, soluble phenolic disinfectants were obtained from varying sites in the wards of six hospitals. The concentration of disinfectant in each sample was measured by a colorimetric method and bacterial contamination was measured by an ;in-use' test and a membrane filter technique. The concentrations of disinfectant in 24/105 (23%) samples were at the recommended level and 53 (50.5%) were below. Bacterial contamination with Gram-negative bacilli was found in 26/49 (53%) samples containing less than 0.8% of disinfectant and 5/86 (8.9%) samples containing more than 0.8%. The concentrations in two of the heavily contaminated samples were 1.5% and 1.6% respectively.

Bacteria↗

PubMed1971

Mental health aspects of shoplifting.

A ten-year follow-up of 886 shoplifters showed clear differences between women and men. Men tended to have previous convictions and to steal books (unknown in women). Of the 532 women nearly one third were foreign-born, and this group comprised 46% of offenders aged 17-30. The peak age among British women was 51-60.First offenders accounted for 80% of the women, and their reconviction rate was 11%; among those with any kind of previous conviction the rate was 50%. The rate of admission to hospital for women shoplifters is three times higher than average.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1971