to prevent the paitent from catching a infection therefore making their chances of surving the operation higher.
Carbolic acid is a weak acid.
organic acid
You Put it in food, or you burn stuff with it!
Carbolic acid is phenol (hydroxy benzene, formula C6H5OH) The original formulation of Lysol contained cresols (methyl phenols, formula CH3-C6H5OH) This formulation may still be available commercially...