[at-l] Water Treatment

[quoleldil at yahoo.com (Quoleldil)]

The "problem" is with the potential for error in the numbers the authors collected ...
If you ignore the potential error rate, iodine comes off best with filtration a very close second,
so close they may as well be equal, for lowering the incidence of diarrhoea, according to the
paper "Medical Risks of Wilderness Hiking, Boulware, et al.
Behaviors assoicated with "good hygiene" were less likely to have diarrhea ... three behaviors in
particular were associated with a lower risk: consumption of vitamins (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.41 to
0.72; P<0.01), cleaning cooking utensils with soap and warm water (OR - 0.36; 95% CI: 0.27 to
9.54; P = 0.001), and washing hands after urination (OR = 0.09; 95% CI: <0.01 to 0.25;
P<0.001)[used as a marker here for other fastidius hygienic practices].
Notably, "Hikers who had diarrhea were nearly 8 years younger than those who never had diarrhea
(P<0.001). Prior hiking experience was not associated with the incidence of diarrhea (P = 0.7)."

IMHO, exposure to pathogens can sometimes lead to an immunologic defense against subsequent
infection, which *may* account *somewhat* for the age differential ... though I do not *recommend*
to others uncontrolled self innoculation practices, I have practiced it myself both here and in
the third world ...

Boiling water for drinking and cleaning purposes will likely lower the risk nearer zero than other
methods, IMHO. That means a lot of fuel and time, which is why hikers don't often use that method.

Question: If alchohol works to sterilize hands, will it work to sterilize water? Will it work to
assist the GI tract in ridding itself of pathogens? Will it work as a wash? I.e., Everclear as a
fuel, fire starter, hand wash, utensil wash, water purifier, and addition to the evening drink?
;-)

That new $15 blue epoxy flask at REI for carrying alcohol is looking awfully attractive ... (Ever
notice the flask has a warning label not use it as a bowling pin?)

--- Steve Adams <stephensadams@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Medical Risks of Wilderness Hiking.
> Date: Tue, 20 May 2003 10:10:47 -0400
> Mime-Version: 1.0
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
> 
> OrangeBug,
> 
> Reference your post, dated 5-19-03, advising, “The other interesting point 
> of the study was that there was a nonstatistically significant trend toward 
> benefit from treatment of water on a consistent basis.  I was surprised that 
> the trend was as strong as it was.”
> 
> I don’t understand.
> 
> If the trend was “nonstatistically significant” how could “the trend (have 
> been) as strong as it was.”
> 
> Is this trend based upon anecdotal evidence, or something else?
> 
> How is the evidence interpreted as being “strong?”
> 
> Does this trend indicate filtration, bleaching, etc, are more desirable than 
> many of us previously considered?  I.e., are they worth the weight, the 
> wait, and the inconvenience of their usage?
> 
> Steve
> 
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=====
David Addleton
vocate atque non vocate deus aderit
http://dfaddleton.home.att.net/

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