noun
- Plural of carbolic; substances containing or derived from carbolic acid (phenol), historically used as disinfectants and antiseptics.
Usage: chiefly historical; medical/chemical context
Examples
- In the 19th century, carbolics were widely used in hospitals to sterilize surgical instruments.
- The nurse applied carbolics to the wound to prevent infection.
- Early antiseptic protocols relied heavily on carbolics and other phenolic compounds.
- Carbolics were eventually replaced by more modern and safer disinfectants.