[at-l] water, filters, tablets, etc.

[ellen at clinic.net (Bob C)]

>"...I find it hard to believe that treating the water would not influence 
the outcome of any study one way or the other. ? I think that treating 
the water should either help or hurt. ?It is hard to believe that it did 
neither. ?It would be easier for me to believe that treating the water 
hurt rather than having no effect at all.
My common sense tells me that this study must be flawed in some way."

Consider, the possibility that the dangers of drinking water from streams and springs found along mountain trails have been grossly exaggerated by those dedicated to selling us chemicals and filters. Let's assume also the possibility that stomach upsets are mostly caused not by drinking water -- but by other vectors such as friendly human and friendly dog carriers. You know friendly hikers who have been dipping into their GORP all day after not washing their hands after pooping but who still hold out their GORP bags for you to partake; and dogs that just love to wag their tails and lap the faces and hands and the dishes of hikers who act friendly.

If my scenarios are mostly correct -- and I think they are -- the most stringent water treatment in the world isn't going to have any impact on stomach upsets. And small sample studies -- all that have been done -- will fail to detect any significant difference between various water treatments, or no treatment at all.

Weary