[at-l] Personal Hygiene

["Poor Writer a.k.a. Ern Grover" <ern@tick-tock.com>]

Much has been posted regarding water purification and "statistics" have
been offered to indicate many people become sick regardless of whether or
not they use a water purifier or iodine or other treatment.  

One further statement was made by an individual alluding to the fact that
personal hygiene might be a factor which would invalidate these
"statistics".  I concur 100%.  It's not what you see that gets you, it's
what you don't see.

Let's be honest.  When we're out hiking, are we seriously conscientious
about personal hygiene when we finish up with our "cathole", being careful
to wash our hands with either a "handiwipe"?  Don't we generally overlook
this step, grab something from our pack to snack on, grab our water bottle
for a quick drink.  

Public restrooms..... I hate them.  Everything you touch has been touched
by someone else.  You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure that
out.  Watch the guy ahead of you.  He does his thing, passes by the sink,
grabs the doorknob, and he's gone.  If you touch the doorknob, you might as
well ask him if you could steady his aim the next time he comes to the
men's room.  I use this as an analogy to show that it happens with every
person you meet on the trail, shaking their hand, accepting food from them,
etc.

OK, so we tend to be lax.  Include me in that bunch.  I become more aware
of it when I'm hiking with other people, especially during meal
preparation.  Each of us has witnessed this, and unknowingly contribute to
the problem.  

When you come down to where the rubber meet the road, we are our own worst
enemy.  We don't need someone else to inflict our food and water supply
with E-Coli.  We're able to do that very well by ourselves.

My opinion.

Poor Writer a.k.a. Ern Grover
http://www.tick-tock.com/morgan.html

At the cocktail party, one woman said to another, aren't you wearing your
wedding ring on the wrong finger?"  The other replied, "Yes, I am, I
married the wrong man."

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