Is that the same thing? I'm talking about this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1,2,3-Trichloropropane

you're talking about this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TCP_(antiseptic)

Based on the context, I now think the person was gargling the antiseptic called TCP, which is really phenol (a totally different chemical from TCP). So I think I understand the confusion now.

When using TLAs for chemicals, it's often better to write out the full chemical name instead. When I say "IPA" I mean isopropyl alcohol but everything thinks I mean beer.

It's just one of those things where the different context between countries doesn't translate well.

In the UK, if you say "TCP" everybody knows that you're talking about the antiseptic phenolic liquid that can be used for gargling but never swallowed. It's present in most househould medicine cabinets.

It's important to note here, given that the subject is loss of the sense of taste and smell, that this stuff absolutely reeks.

> When I say "IPA" I mean isopropyl alcohol but everything thinks I mean beer.

Somewhere around April/May, everyone in my circles and all their dogs were suddenly talking about "IPA". I was very, very confused until I eventually figured out they didn't mean the beer.

TCP (the antiseptic) is more of a brand name. It was named after a chemical but doesn't contain that chemical at all anymore; "TCP" in this context is just referring to the brand name. If you gargle TCP you're gargling whatever whatever mixture of phenols they put in it now, not trichlorophenylmethyliodosalicyl.

I thought it was this even scarier chemical, also with the same acronym: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tricresyl_phosphate