[at-l] Considerations.

[thornel@attglobal.net (W F Thorneloe)]

The important words are "if it's available." If the quantity of water and
soap for a 20 second lathering isn't available - and certainly isn't in the
slow streams of North Georgia today - the alcohol gel cleaners make for a
reasonable option. Again, we aren't discussing sterility as this does not
occur in the back country. We are talking about relative sanitation in a
limited water/soap environment. These are articles discussing the
acknowledged benefit of soap/water and mechanical scrubbing/lathering over
hand sanitizers - alcohol gels.

I don't know of any operating room or ER willing to substitute these for
scrubbing with antibacterial detergents. Food service organizations don't
scrub for surgery, but they do employ soap, water and a less significant
degree of scrubbing. In the backcountry, it is good if we can get people to
use alcohol gel a few times a day after digging a cathole or watering the
bushes.

I'd still like to see reports where use of alcohol gels has caused injury,
even if it is less effective than soap and water. I'm particularly
interested in learning about the enzymes of the upper extremities that are
impaired by alcohol but not by scrubbing with soap and water. Having seen a
few OCD patients with bleeding cracked hands from obsessive washing, I know
that soap and water can be a problem. I don't recall seeing similar
injuries from Purell/alcohol gels, although I suspect it is possible.

OrangeBug



At 04:15 PM 8/12/2002 -0500, Rami wrote:
>       "In terms of the regulations regarding food services, the Food and
> Drug Administration says hand sanitizers may be used as a supplement but
> not as a substitute for hand washing," Almanza explains. "By the same
> token, people should not use hand sanitizers in place of a good lathering
> with soap and water if it's available."