[at-l] Considerations.

[orangebug74@yahoo.com (Orange Bug)]

Just to recap the thread thus far:

Zippo lighter fluid might be good for fire accellerant and wound
cleaning, with Zippo lighters easier to manage than BICs.

Purell alcohol gel can also do both, and clean hands after Nature
calls. BICs are okay, and there are butane torches out there -
excellent for lighting your crack pipe.

Some literature was seen or heard of - suggesting alcohol gels damage
enzymes on the hands and increase growth of bacteria. Plus alcohol
causes "owee" if put on a wound.

Quoted literature compares alcohol gel and antiseptic washes to soap
and water with good lathering. Soap, water and scrubbing are very good.
Alcohol and antibacterial soaps may increase populations of
non-pathogenic bacteria on hands - at least in laboratory environments.
Alcohol removes superficial oils/fats from skin.

Apples are not well compared to oranges. Backcountry environments
aren't conducive to 20 second water, soap and scrubbing techniques -
especially near suitable cathole sites. Sanitation is relative in
environments including backcountry, children and VA Medical centers.
(the last was a joke).

A side thread on hydrogen peroxide as a wound cleaner was offered. It
certainly could work, but weight and cost compared to other options
(Purell, Polar Pure, iodine, etc.) didn't impress this writer.

Other side threads suggested that one can get obsessive with hand
cleaning and damage skin. Sterility of hands has not been a goal for a
few decades since carbolic acid washes were discarded by the last of
the barehanded surgeons.

Bill...
<back to the games>

--- J Bryan Kramer <jbryankramer@msn.com> wrote:
> I've seen some studies which say that it is a bad idea to try to
> exterminate
> the normal bacterial population on your skin. Most of these are
> harmless or
> mutualistic and all out chemical warfare can kill the harmless
> critters and
> allow the harmful ones to multiply.


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