Plural of germicide; multiple substances or products that kill germs and prevent microbial growth.
From 'germicide' + English plural '-s'. Standard pluralization of the noun formed in the late 19th century.
The history of germicides reveals competing technologies: alcohol, chlorine, iodine, and quaternary ammonium compounds all fight for supremacy in different situations, which is why hospitals use different germicides for different surfaces rather than one magic formula.
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