[Thirty years of disinfection 1955-1985]

The article deals with disinfectants and disinfection during 1955-1985 and analyses the disinfectant lists no. 1-6 made up by the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology. It is shown that changes in test methods may influence the composition of disinfectants. During the time taken in consideration a change from phenols/phenol derivatives as main active material in disinfectants to aldehydes took place. Main active materials in hand disinfectants are the alcohols ethanol, iso-propanol and n-propanol. Since 1974 (list no. 4) the number of products based on PVP-iodine for hand disinfectants increases. Strikingly quaternary ammonium compounds in detergent disinfectants increase as well as sole active material or in combination with aldehydes. This depends on the fact, that their acceptance is well because they are less smelling. On the other hand in combination with aldehydes they make it possible to reduce the amount of bad smelling aldehydes.