Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co product called the "smoke ball" and claimed it to be a cure for influenza and a number of other diseases. (The 1889–1890 flu pandemic was estimated to have killed 1 million people.) The smoke ball was a rubber ball with a tube attached. It was filled with carbolic acid (or phenol). The tube would be inserted into a user's nose and squeezed at the bottom to release the vapours. The nose would run, ostensibly flushing out viral infections. The Company published advertisements in the "Pall Mall Gazette" and other newspapers on November 13, 1891, claiming that it would pay £100
Citric acid ingredients in the production of antiviral tissues. Citric acid is used as an odorless alternative to white vinegar for home dyeing with acid dyes. Sodium citrate is a component of Benedict's reagent, used for identification both qualitatively and quantitatively, of reducing sugars. Citric acid can be used as an alternative to nitric acid in passivation of stainless steel. Citric acid can be used as a lower-odor stop bath as part of the process for developing photographic film. Photographic developers are alkaline, so a mild acid is used to neutralize and stop their action quickly, but commonly used acetic acid leaves