The present participle of carbolate; the process of treating or impregnating something with carbolic acid.
From 'carbolate' plus '-ing.' This gerund form appears frequently in medical and public health texts from the era when carbolic acid was the primary disinfectant.
In hospitals from the 1870s to 1920s, carbolating everything—from instruments to room air—was standard practice; surgeons would literally spray carbolic acid while operating, creating a chemical fog that killed germs but also burned their hands and eyes.
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