It was a product made so that women could avoid this:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...l%3Den%26sa%3DGI have no idea what was in it, but I would bet that it was scary. I remember seeing it in the bathroom in the sixties. I thought they had stopped making it but it looks like you can still buy it. The formula must have been changed since then but I get a kick out of the old ads like this one:
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/adaccess/B...213-150dpi.jpegI decided to look up some of the ingredients used in it now, and one is thymol:
Thymol
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Thymol
Chemical name 5-methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)phenol
Chemical formula C10H14O
Molecular mass 150.22 g/mol
CAS number [89-83-8]
Density 0.96 g/cm3
Melting point 48-52 °C
Boiling point 232 °C
SMILES CC1=CC(O)=C(C©C)C=C1
Disclaimer and references
Thymol is a monoterpene phenol derivative of cymene, C10H13OH, isomeric with carvacrol, found in oil of thyme, and extracted as a white crystalline substance of a pleasant aromatic odor and strong antiseptic properties. It is also called "hydroxy cymene". (from Webster's 1913 dictionary)
It has been found to be useful in controlling varroa mites in bee colonies.[1]A minor use is in bookbinding: before rebinding, books with mould damage can be sealed in bags with thymol crystals to kill fungal spores. It is also used as a preservative in halothane, an anaesthetic.
In a 1994 report released by five top cigarette companies, thymol was listed as one of 599 additives to cigarettes.[2] It is added to improve the flavor.
another is:
Benzalkonium chloride
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Benzalkonium chloride
Molar mass (mixture)
CAS number [8001-54-5]
EINECS number 264-151-6
Properties
Density 0.98
Solubility in water very soluble
Hazards
EU classification Xi
NFPA 704
010
R-phrases R21/22, R34, R50
S-phrases S36/37/39, S45, S61
RTECS number BO3150000
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for
materials in their standard state
(at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox disclaimer and references
Benzalkonium chloride (alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride) is a mixture of alkylbenzyl dimethylammonium chlorides of various alkyl chain lengths. It is commonly used as an antiseptic and spermicide. This product is a nitrogenous cationic surface-acting agent belonging to the quaternary ammonium group. The greatest bactericidal activity is associated with the C12-C14 alkyl derivatives.
It has been considered one of the safest synthetic biocides known, and has a long history of efficacious use. However, conflicting studies cast doubt on its reputation for safety.[1][2] Some products have been reformulated in light of this research, but it is still widely used in eyewashes, hand and face washes, mouthwashes, spermicidal creams, and in various other cleaners, sanitizers, and disinfectants. It is also used as an annual treatment for the elimination of bacteria in water within waterbeds. However, manufacturers of OTC artificial tears and eye washes became concerned about chemical sensitivity from long-term daily use and have in some products substituted EDTA as a preservative and have added "for sensitive eyes" to labeling. There has also been concern that long-term use of benzalkonium as a preservative in nose sprays may cause swelling of mucosa and lead to Rhinitis medicamentosa. Some manufacturers have put 3-day limits on safe use of such nose sprays.
Applications are extremely wide ranging, from disinfectant formulations to microbial corrosion inhibition in the oilfield sector. It is often used to disinfect skin prior to withdrawing blood for Blood Alcohol Content ("BAC") tests because it contains no alcohol and cannot be said to taint the BAC test.
Benzalkonium chloride is readily soluble in water, alcohol, and acetone. Formulation requires great care as Benzalkonium can be inactivated by certain organic compounds, including soap, and must not be mixed with anionic surfactants. Hard water salts can also reduce biocidal activity. Although newer formulations are more resistant to deactivation, as with any disinfectant, it is recommended that surfaces are rinsed well before disinfection.
Aqueous solutions of benzalkonium chloride are neutral to slightly alkaline, colorless, and nonstaining. Solutions foam profusely when shaken, have a bitter taste, and a faint almond-like odour, which is only detectable in concentrated solutions.
The mechanism of bactericidal/microbicidal action is thought to be due to disruption of intermolecular interactions. This can cause dissociation of cellular membrane bilayers, which compromises cellular permeability controls and induces leakage of cellular contents. Other biomolecular complexes within the bacterial cell can also undergo dissociation. Enzymes, which finely control a plethora of respiratory and metabolic cellular activities, are particularly susceptible to deactivation. Critical intermolecular interactions and tertiary structures in such highly specific biochemical systems can be readily disrupted by cationic surfactants.
Benzalkonium chloride solutions are rapidly acting anti-infective agents with a moderately long duration of action. They are active against bacteria and some viruses, fungi, and protozoa. Bacterial spores are considered to be resistant. Solutions are bacteriostatic or bactericidal according to their concentration. Gram-positive bacteria are generally more susceptible than gram-negative. Activity is not greatly affected by pH, but increases substantially at higher temperatures and prolonged exposure times.
and then there's propylene glycol:
[edit] Safety
The Food and Drug Administration has determined that propylene glycol in or on cat food has not been shown by adequate scientific data to be safe for use. Use of propylene glycol in or on cat food causes the feed to be adulterated and in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. 21CFR589.1001
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined propylene glycol to be "generally recognized as safe" for use in food, cosmetics, and medicines. Like ethylene glycol, propylene glycol affects the body's chemistry by increasing the amount of acid. Propylene glycol is metabolized into lactic acid, which occurs naturally as muscles are exercised, while ethylene glycol is metabolized into oxalic acid, which is toxic.
Post menopausal women who require the use of an estrogen cream may notice that brand name creams made with propylene glycol often create extreme, uncomfortable burning along the vulva and perianal area. In these cases, patients can request that a local compounding pharmacy make a "propylene glycol free" cream which is much more tolerable.
Patients with vulvodynia and interstitial cystitis may be especially sensitive to propylene glycol. Women struggling with yeast infections may also notice that some OTC creams can cause intense burning.[1]yeah, I don't think I'd be tempted to use it . . .
