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[at-l] Re:skunks, microorganisms, critters

I guess this as good a time as any to intro myself.  Chris Hoving -
christian, environmentalist, full-time volunteer, wildlife biologist,
mushroomer, and whatnot.  I live in St. Louis (God's idea, not mine).  I plan
to through hike the AT in 1998 with my wonderful wife Kathy.

I couldn't pass this one up...

>At 06:47 PM 3/18/97 -0800, you wrote:
>>Believe it or not, my wife says to wash it in tomato juice. Something about
>>the acidity I believe neutralizes the skunk odor.
>>
>  Believe it or not, my wife says wash it in Massengil vinigar and water
>  douche. A vet said it works better than tomato juice.
>
>
>   Of course the vet was talking about washing a dog and he never said
>   anything about rope or beans.

Skunk odor is an oil.  Any acid from dish soap to hydroflouric acid will
remove the odor.  Citric acid (in the form of tomato or pineapple or orange
juice, anything citrusy) is best for your skin.  Concentrated hydrochloric
acid will remove skunk smell from wood or cement, but it will burn your skin.
 Lots and lots of detergent should wash most of the smell out of fabric or
rope.

>...and he was saying, " I have read that once the water dries the
>beasties die." 
>	
>I have read just the opposite. Many micro-monsters can form a type of
>envelope around themselves and live for a long time outside a watery
>environment. Not being a microbiologist, I think I would take the
>cautious path.  
>
>There must be a microbiologist amoung us somewhere. Can varmits like
>giardia live for extended periods out of their water world?

As a biologist (wildlife, not micro) I can tell you that YES micromonsters
will form a cyst around themselves when conditions get dry.  They just come
out again when it gets wet again.  

They can't take the heat.  Boil 'em or burn 'em.  Micromonsters have been
around a few billion years longer than us humans.  They are tough.

Any other critter questions?    
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