The anti-infective preventive action of intraoperative disinfection with physiological solution containing antibiotics, appears to be firmly established, judging from numerous publications. Since germs are showing a world-wide increasing resistance, the search for antibiotics which continue to be effective must be kept up, but alternative suggestions are equally necessary. Some publications have already been presented indicating that success similar to that previously obtained with antibiotics is possible by using disinfectants in the prophylaxis and treatment of infections. Hence, a comparative study was conducted using the non-absorbable broad-spectrum antibiotic Nebacetin and the disinfectant Taurolin in a 1% solution with a group of patients subjected to a total of 7699 major and minor surgical operations. Prospectively, early infections during the stay of the patient in the hospital, als well as disturbed wound healing, were included. No significant difference was found in the number of infections and the rate of disturbed wound healing. Indirectly, it is possible to conclude with the help of results from literature that the disinfectant Taurolin is suitable as an addition to intra-operative rinsing in the prophylaxis of infections.