antimicrobial compositions are provided wherein there is obtained an enhancement of the activity of an antimicrobial agent exemplified by quaternary ammonium compounds , bisdiguanides , anti - fungal agents , phenols , hydroxydiphenyls , carbanilides , salicylanilides , organo - metallic antiseptics , antibiotics , halogens , organic halogen derivatives and iodophores derived from nonionic surface active agents and from polyvinylpyrrolidone by combining the antimicrobial agent with an effective amount of a potentiator . the potentiator is an alcohol or phenol derivative selected from the group consisting of a aliphatic straight or branched chain primary , secondary and tertiary monohydric alcohols wherein the straight chain alcohols have from about 5 to about 10 carbon atoms ; and the branched chain alcohols have up to about 17 carbon atoms , their longest straight chain of carbon to carbon bonds having from about 5 to about 10 carbon atoms ; a primary , secondary tertiary cyclohexylalkanol or alkylcyclohexylalkanol where the alkanol is as more fully defined hereinafter ; a primary , secondary or tertiary phenylalkanol , halophenylalkanol or c 1 to c 3 alkylphenylalkanol where the alkanol has from about 3 to about 9 carbon atoms ; and a cyclohexyl phenol which may have a substituent on the phenyl ring selected from the group consisting of c 1 to c 3 alkyl and alkoxy , hydroxy , halo , amino and alkyl and dialkyl amino - substituents . also provided are topically active compositions wherein topical activity of a medicament is enhanced by combining the medicament with an effective amount of a potentiator as defined in , or above . the compositions comprising an antimicrobial agent and a potentiating agent in a suitable carrier are useful for killing susceptible organisms on various surfaces . the novel compositions find special applications as surgical scrub solutions , and for use in dressing topical wounds where the presence of blood and wound exudate would otherwise inhibit the action of the antimicrobial agent if it were to be used alone . the topical compositions of the invention find special application as topical anesthetics , cell regulatory agents , antimicrobials , anti - inflammatory compositions , and the like .