#human contaminants and hygiene

[cammys-imagines24]

°•Taking Care of Injured Ellie•°

Like most things in life, Ellie's first response is to try and deal with it herself. So, it stands to reason that that initial reaction stays the same even when she's hurt.

On more than one occasion you've walked in on her stitching a bloody gash up herself with a dirty needle and some janky knotted thread.

Other times, you've seen her wrap up a scrape using ductape. Just ductape. No gauze. No fabric.

There's a reason Ellie doesn't help out at Jackson's infirmary after all. If she did, many people would get even more hurt by her contaminated ministrations than if they were just left alone.

See, because of Ellie's immunity she's developed a poor way of managing her own health and hygienic practices when wounded.

Her seeming to think that being immune to the undead infected makes her not susceptible to other things too, like human bodily infections.

Also, because she's immune she often charges into danger with less caution than the average, not immune person would.

Hence why, she gets more hurt. Being reckless with her life. Going in head first.

Because of the poor way Ellie patches herself up you've sort of become her own personal physician.

Even reading up on medical books in Jackson's library to better assist her.

And you being her nurse? Now she can't complain about that. Her always ready to make a joke about it.

"Hey, babe. Where's, uh, your sexy nurse costume?"

"Ellie, shut up. Tell me what's wrong. How badly hurt are you?"

"Yeah, I need some medical attention. I hurt myself pretty bad falling for you."

"Ellie, you're literally bleeding out onto the rug."

Being a bit touch starved (though she'd never admit it) she quite enjoys when you fuss over her and take care of her.

It reminds her that someone cares about her. That her life matters to the one she loves most of all.

Ellie may gripe whenever you tell her to rest and heal up (and she'll never agree to proper bedrest.)

She also may always downplay how hurt she is, cracking jokes and sugar coating gritty details as to how exactly she got so banged up.

Though she'll forever be grateful to you. For your gentle assistance and the soft, affirming words you say to her while cleaning her body up.

You sometimes catch her staring at you so intensely while you bandage her up.

Her green eyes piercing, unaffected by even the sting of the alcohol you rub into her raw wounds.

Ellie will still your treatment with a firm grip of her calloused hands and pull you close to her, fervent.

Crashing her lips against yours in a desperate attempt to make you understand how much you mean to her.

Hoping her eager mouth, parted and inviting, will make you feel her love beyond her lacking, stilted words.

You'll try to protest, your hands awkwardly searching to rest upon the parts of her body which aren't injured or bruised.

Ellie won't care.

Invading your mouth with her tongue and pulling your clothes up and aside to feel the warmth of your skin.

When overcome with need, the pang of a touched scrape or the press against a gash going completely unnoticed.

Ellie will bite your bottom lip and pull you beneath her. Her shirt already discarded from when you were cleaning the blood off her.

"E-Ellie, what about your injuries!?"

You'll squeak, her rough hands yanking your jeans down, slender pale digits finding purchase upon the flesh of your freshly bared thighs.

"I think this is more important, babygirl. Yeah?"

Ellie will rasp, sucking a no doubt vibrant mark along your neck.

What can she say? Whenever you play nurse for her it turns her on.

And though you worry about her wounds, it's not like you object for long.

Not when your beloved Ellie is alive and safe in your arms, cuts and all.

[mindblowingscience]

Patulin (C7H6O4), a mycotoxin produced by several types of fungi, is toxic to a variety of life forms, including humans, mammals, plants, and microorganisms. In particular, environments lacking proper hygienic measures during food production are susceptible to patulin contamination as many of these fungi species tend to grow on damaged or decaying fruits, specifically apples, and even contaminate apple products, such as apple sauce, apple juice, jams, and ciders. Responsible for a wide variety of health hazards, including nausea, lung congestion, ulcers, intestinal hemorrhages, and even more serious outcomes, such as DNA damage, immunosuppression, and increased cancer risk, patulin toxicity is a serious concern worldwide. As a result, many countries have imposed restrictions on the permitted levels of patulin in food products, especially baby foods as infants are more vulnerable to the effects of patulin. Treatment of patulin toxicity include oxygen therapy, immunotherapy, detoxification therapy, and nutrient therapy. However, as prevention is often better than cure, scientists have been on the lookout for efficient ways to mitigate patulin toxicity in food products. To this end, a research team including Associate Professor Toshiki Furuya from Tokyo University of Science (TUS) in Japan, recently screened for soil microorganisms that can potentially help keep patulin toxicity in check. Their study, published in MicrobiologyOpen, was co-authored by Ms. Megumi Mita, Ms. Rina Sato, and Ms. Miho Kakinuma, all from TUS.

Continue Reading

[thesealfriend]

Ok I'm well aware I'm opening myself up to be called disgusting and dirty etc with this but like

We're overthinking cleanliness these days, right?

Like we're underthinking actual proven methods of common disease transmission like respiratory droplets, while at the same time I've just seen several people agree with someone saying it's "unsanitary" to pick up your coffee cup by the rim instead of the handle, and I'm just ????

For the average adult immune system, if your hands are contaminated enough that touching the rim of a mug is gonna make you sick, you should probably wash them immediately before you go anywhere near food or beverages - otherwise, humans are animals and we're covered in pathogens. Very few things in our daily lives are sterile and they don't stay that way for long. The rim of that mug is already teeming with the same kind of bacteria as reasonably clean hands unless you boiled it alongside the water for your drink. Your body is designed to deal with that.

Idk maybe my perspective is skewed because I basically live on a farm but like. My hands are almost always slightly grubby? The kitchen area is kept clean and when I'm prepping food, I wash and sanitise my hands, and I'll always defer to the hygiene standards the people around me require, but otherwise I will absolutely sit and chew on my nails after planting some bulbs and Vaguely Rinsing Em Off, and I haven't even gotten Slightly Sick because I wasn't raised in a plastic bubble full of disinfectant

[hulking-godless-child-beast]

Donations to Help The Fox

I know things are pretty tight for everyone right now, but a dear friend of mine is really struggling right now due to an apartment fire, asbestos contamination of all of her belongings, and the loss of one of her beloved cats. She's managed to pay the vet bills and has a place to stay, but needs money for food, (for herself and the remaining cat) new asbestos-free clothes, basic pet supplies, and basic hygienic products.

This is Toko. He's a little goblin.

Here's a clip of him causing trouble on his human's live stream:

He just lost his home and his best friend.

If you want to help his human feed him, click here and send her whatever you can, or spread the word by reblogging. I don't know if he'll be grateful, but she and I will. 💜

[fatehbaz]

Interesting example of empires being affected by ecological degradation and climate change: How Ottoman Istanbul was pummeled by climate change in the nineteenth century. The publicized, alleged increase of “fever of Constantinople” was not just Orientalist discourse, as the imperial capital was threatened by excessive heat, drought, and regional deforestation marked by disease outbreak. Recent tree-ring data suggests large scale of drought during the century; drought decreased water availability for irrigation and cleaning. The city was forced to pay large sums to import coal from England. In 1829, locally-sourced charcoal prices tripled in one year. The cost of public baths sky-rocketed, making hygiene and sanitation inaccessible. In 1840, a General Directorate of Forests was founded to harvest local timber; within a few years, nearly two-thirds of Kocaeli’s forests were torn down. Simultaneously, the city’s population was quickly rising (500,000 in 1856 to 800,000 in 1885), and rural residents in nearby regions were exhausted by imposed mandatory labor to accommodate the city’s need for fuel.

---

Charles MacFarlane, the Scot known for his historical and travel writing, visited Istanbul in 1828. MacFarlane, who suffered for years from “fever of Constantinople” (Brucella) after his visit, mentions how he could not understand why previous observers had described the city’s climate as “pure and healthy” [...]. Ottomanists Daniel Panzac and Nukhet Varlık also point to a “climate of epidemics” referring to other nineteenth-century accounts that showed disease as a boundary marker between Europe and the Orient. Indeed, the city experienced significant infectious disease outbreaks such as that of the plague in 1801, 1811–1812, 1831, 1853, and 1876, and seven cholera outbreaks in 1831, 1847, 1854, 1865, 1870, 1876–1877, and 1893. 

What changed? We know that, like other industrial city population movements, dense settlement and inadequate infrastructure worsened health conditions in Istanbul. The number of inhabitants rose from over five hundred thousand in 1856 to over eight hundred thousand in 1885. However, there was also another factor: climate change. The recent tree ring-based hydroclimate June/July precipitation reconstruction of the Old World Drought Atlas confirms a significant decrease in nineteenth-century precipitation values. [...]

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Drought worsened living conditions. It turned rivers into marshland and decreased available water sources for turning water mills used for irrigation and cleaning. Waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea and cholera increased. Excessive heat, swamps, and deforestation triggered the spread of vector-borne diseases such as malaria. Moreover, water scarcity worsened sanitary conditions. Diseases that are transmitted from animals to human beings through direct or indirect contact by contaminated food (often milk products), like Brucella (fever of Constantinople, Malta fever, or Mediterranean fever), also increased.

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The stress on the economy was also enormous. Excessive heat affected load-bearing animals and people, making transportation more difficult. [...] Extremely hot conditions increased the stress on seafaring oarsmen. A lack of sufficient charcoal and firewood resulted in ships being fuelled with coal from England, which was costly. Problems of transporting wood and the cumulative long-term effects of deforestation made firewood supplies an enormous issue. The Ottoman state set prices and imposed mandatory labour on rural regions, which absorbed the burden of providing food, firewood, charcoal, and construction material to Istanbul and the city’s palace. Charcoal, which had previously been supplied as taxes from villages in some Balkan countries after the Russian War, was not available. As a consequence, charcoal prices rose from 3.8 Akçes in 1829 to 13.6 Akçes in 1830. In the second half of the century, numerous fires, some of which coincided with scorching temperatures, increased timber demand and prices multiplied.

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The state took measures against this severe firewood shortage. Necessary institutional action was taken. Laws were changed to regulate the organization of forests under the General Directorate of Forests founded in August 1840. And silviculture was established. Once supply from the Balkans was no longer forthcoming, the stress on regional supplies increased. The demand for timber from Kocaeli, a neighbouring district located east of Istanbul, was almost four times higher. Nearly two-thirds of forests were cleared by 1847. Life became desolate for villagers; some even sold their buffaloes to relieve themselves of the burden to supply wood. Until Ottoman coal began to arrive from Zonguldak on the Black Sea in 1850, Istanbul’s firewood and coal supply was a significant problem.

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Firewood and water scarcity increased the cost of public baths, which were essential for the well-being and health of inhabitants. The number of public baths did not increase in line with the doubling of Istanbul’s population. [...] For example, during the 1811–1812 plague, ship crews carrying firewood and charcoal as well as food to Istanbul fled the city. This increased labour and transportation costs. Some public baths, whose furnaces were heated with charcoal and firewood, went bankrupt. [...]

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The first municipal institution (Şehremaneti), founded in 1868, was given the urgent mandate of ensuring public hygiene. The effect of climate change on the landscape, economy, and institutional changes was significant. Indeed, climate is an important factor to consider for the history of the era. Disease was not only a result of Orientalist discourse. Environmental conditions also changed Istanbul’s healthscape. Thus, unbeknownst to Charles MacFarlane, the discrepancy between the earlier accounts of Istanbul and his own experiences can, at least partly, be ascribed to climate change.

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Image, caption, and text by: Özlem Sert. “Water, Firewood, and Disease in Nineteenth-Century Istanbul.” Environment & Society Portal, Arcadia no. 45. Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society. Autumn 2020. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me. Italicized first paragraph/heading in this post added by me.]

[pcttrailsidereader]

Norovirus on the PCT . . . How an outbreak spreads along the trail

September 24

By Pien Huang for NPR

I was just corresponding with another PCT-hiking friend about the few times we have felt unsafe on the trail. All of our examples related, not to bears or rattlesnakes or even lightning (I might have included lightning had I thought about it more), to human encounters. A lost soul or two on the trail, hunters combining alcohol and firearms, a camping area near a road. Now here is another thing to worry about . . . norovirus. It is a good reminder not to abandon hygiene in the wilderness. RH

EIS officer Arran Hamlet walks into the Government Meadows site to conduct environmental sampling for norovirus.

Last September, Kevin Quinn was trekking through a remote, mountainous region in central Washington state, when he started feeling sick. "At first, I thought it was just a stomachache," he says, "But when we got to the campsite I started throwing up, and it started coming out the other end as well."

Quinn was on the trail with his daughter, who had left her job so they could hike together. After months of hiking, he found himself wiped out at a campsite in the middle of nowhere.

"I had heard about the norovirus for years, but it was always in the context of 'Oh, there's a cruise ship in the Caribbean,'" he says, "You don't think about this being an issue when you're out on the Pacific Crest Trail."

Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that can cause serious gastrointestinal distress for several days. It's often associated with enclosed, crowded settings like cruise ships, health care facilities and childcare centers.

But it also crops up in the wilderness – like in an outbreak among hikers like Quinn last year which was documented in a recent investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Call in the disease detectives

After a stream of sick Pacific Crest Trail hikers came through the Washington Alpine Club Lodge near Snoqualmie Pass last summer, a volunteer named Robert Henry closed the dorm-style lodge and emailed health authorities.

"My concern at the time was to make sure that the hikers on the trail didn't get any worse, and to make sure that the volunteers at the Washington Alpine Club didn't contract whatever it was they were bringing in," Henry ways. He also worked to warn other hikers about the threat.

EIS officer Dr. Arran Hamlet observes a water source being tested for environmental contamination of fecal waste and norovirus.

Hamlet focused on a 70-mile stretch of trail south of the Lodge, where ill hikers were coming from. One common rest stop, he learned, was a remote log cabin in the meadows, with a pit latrine and a stream that's used for drinking water.

Hamlet and his team hiked out to the cabin and tested water from the stream. They also swabbed the toilets, the door handles, the tabletops, the poker chips – anything people were touching. While the water samples came back clean, "every single [surface] swab tested positive for fecal contamination," he says.

"This doesn't mean that we can see human feces on things," he adds, "but at some point in time, there was transmission of human fecal contamination onto every surface in the cabin we swabbed, and also everywhere in the latrine."

The results of the investigation were published this month in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Investigators concluded that there was an outbreak of norovirus on the trail last summer that was spreading between hikers and that "exposure to contaminated surfaces within the cabin and ... latrines likely amplified transmission."

EIS officer Dr. Arran Hamlet swabs a backcountry pit latrine for norovirus sampling during an investigation for an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness among Pacific Crest Trail Hikers in 2022.

Shanna Miko, a nurse epidemiologist at CDC, was part of the field team on the Pacific Crest Trail study — and it wasn't her first norovirus-in-the-woods investigation. Last year, she traced an outbreak at the Grand Canyon, among people who were backcountry hiking and whitewater rafting.

"These are very well-planned trips. For many people, they're once-in-a-lifetime," she says. Travelers often read books and blogs in preparation, and get advice from others who have done the trip before them, accumulating trail wisdom – "places where people frequently stop, or places that have shelters where people frequently sleep over," good places to get water, or use the bathroom, she says.

These hubs, which seem so remote, see thousands of people – in varying levels of wellness – pass through in a season. They may not leave visible traces but some may leave germs, like norovirus, that can live on environmental surfaces for a long time, Miko says. (According to the CDC, this hardy virus can stay alive on surfaces for "days or weeks.")

Hand sanitizer doesn't cut and other advice for staying well

With norovirus, hand sanitizer and common water filters don't work. The virus is small, and "extra sticky" on skin, Miko says. And it takes just a few dozen viral particles to make a person very ill.

Miko says there are ways that hikers can cut their risks.

Always wash your hands with soap and water after you have a bowel movement – and wash them again before you eat. "The soap is a great detergent to remove the virus from your hands," she says. While any soap and water will work, she recommends biodegradable soaps in protected national parks and backcountry woods to reduce the impact on the environment.

Make sure to drink and cook with good, clean water. Pay attention to where the water comes from, and treat it properly. "Boiling for at least three minutes is the best way to kill everything you would typically come across," Miko says. And note: Most water filters are good at removing bacteria and common parasites but they don't cut it when it comes to norovirus. You'll need to layer on either chemical treatment or UV light treatment to kill the virus. (Here's the CDC's breakdown of what works for which pathogens.)

If you do fall ill, shelter in place if you can. This is for your own safety, and for the sake of others, "so you aren't seeding norovirus particles along the trail and putting others at risk," Miko says. This is not the time to try to push ahead but to rest and hydrate. "If possible, try to keep your defecation far from the trail and bury it, and don't prepare food anywhere near where you're using the restroom or vomiting," she says.

The worst of the symptoms usually passes in two to three days, though "you can still spread norovirus after you feel better," Miko says. She recommends waiting at least two days after symptoms have resolved before continuing on.

Norovirus was the last straw

Kevin Quinn set out to hike the Pacific Crest Trail with his daughter, Katie, who had left her job so they could hike together. Norovirus derailed their plans.

He was thirsty, he was really tired – and while he filtered the water, he skipped the additional, chemical treatment. Soon, he knew he'd made a mistake. "I was completely debilitated. I didn't have the energy to set my tent up," he recalls, "All I was doing was, like, every 15 minutes, going off into the woods and either throwing up or having diarrhea."

After a night of being very ill, Quinn and his daughter made a long, slow trek out of the woods. "We never made the whole trail," he says, "We just decided to call it quits."

Earlier in the summer, he caught COVID, which derailed his trail plans for a month. Up ahead, there were wildfires and trail closures. For Quinn, getting norovirus was the last straw.

A year later, he still regrets that he didn't take the time to treat the water properly.

To other hikers – he says: heed the signs, wash your hands and make sure your water is clean. In his experience, it's not worth the risk.

And, we would add, that water treatment options like the Steripen (using UV technology), would seem to be more effective.

[flyonthewallmedstudent]

Cysticercosis

I had to double check the spelling about 10x. Still mispelled this about 100x.

More specifically, I'm interested in learning 5-10 mins of disseminated cystericercosis today. Following my post on motivation and building better habits.

Source: NEJM

Not to be confused with the intestinal/GI form of taeniasis, classically, via eating uncooked pork that contains the larval form/cyst of the parasite: taenia solium. Aka, Pork Tapeworm (don't click on the link if you don't want to know what a tapeworm looks like). Also related to taenia saginata (beef tapeworm), except solium can also have the extra GI manifestations.

In cysticercosis, the eggs have to have contaminated food/water/surfaces (following the faecal oral route). It's rare in developed countries or places where there is more highly regulated hygiene practices. Chances are higher where pigs have access to human faeces (and eat it) and also in rural areas. Unfortunately it is going to be more common in developing countries.

Incubation time: 2 months for eggs to develop into tapeworm and produce cysts throughout the body. Symptom onset may take months to years. The cysts then spread haematogenously (via bloodstream) to various tissues - including skin, brain, eyes and muscle.

When it affects the brain and spine, it's considered neurocysticercosis. Symptoms present as seizures, ataxia and confusion. Fairly nonspecific but in keeping with space occupying lesions and their sequelae (i.e. hydrocephalus). High mortality due to said seizures, hydrocephalus and cerebral oedema (brain swelling always bad in a space like the cranium that cannot expand - hence craniotomies to decompress in event of swelling, if caught in time).

Another gem, it is a common cause of epilepsy in developing countries (and hence worldwide). "30% of all epilepsy in endemic areas" as per the WHO.

Tests: IgG for cystericercosis (or serology), CSF and MRI/CT in neurocysticercosis. For taeniasis, standard is asking for stool mcs + ova/cysts

Treatment is anti parasitics and anti inflammatories if severe (i.e. steroids, usually dexamethasone if the brain is effect, antiepileptics in the event of seizures). Bit nuanced with anti parasitics - depends on local availability. Could be prazitquantel (small risk of seizures if the patient has neurocysticercosis) or albendazole (less risk of seizures). Single doses.

It's also been featured in the pilot episode of House MD.

Of course it was featured in House. Neurocysticercosis is a zebra. That show was originally going to be named, Chasing Zebras. I don't know why it took them an entire episode to get to the diagnosis. Not saying it'd be on my list of differentials for epilepsy in a young person in the suburban states or acute confusion ever, but you can't get through ED without getting a CT of the brain in wealthier countries. Which means someone in radiology land would definitely pick up the lesions early leading to a narrowed list of differentials and clearer/repeat history.

Sources:

WHO, NEJM and the CDC

Gold standard resources would be uptodate.com and your local/regional therapeutic guidelines. I'll try to use the free ones that everyone can access.

[is-the-owl-video-cute]

Any comments about psittacosis in humans? Is it a major risk if you work with birds?

If you work with parrots, sure. I currently don’t work with birds other than raptors, so it isn’t a risk I really have to take precautions against. It is something to be aware of if you keep pigeons in an outdoor loft or if you keep waterfowl, but it’s not really seen in raptors.

Strictly speaking though as long as you are not kissing birds on the beak or sticking your nose in bird dung and taking a big huff, it’s not a major risk unless you’re doing rehab/rescue on parrots. In the case of pigeons or other pet birds, keep their areas clean, and if there is a lot of feather dust wear a mask while cleaning to avoid inhaling it. Doing work on wild parrots or parrots exposed to wild birds frequently does necessitate an N95 mask, gloves, and following antiseptic lab techniques to avoid cross contamination or contracting this disease.

Parrots are the primary vector, basic hygiene and monitoring the health of birds in your care is generally more than sufficient for other types of birds. Infectious birds will exhibit symptoms of pneumonia and any nasal or oral discharge and raspy breathing of pet birds should be considered a medical emergency and the bird should be tested for avian pneumonia as well as avian influenza by a vet.

[queering-ecology]

Queer Ecologies: Sex, Nature, Politics, Desire Chapter 2 : Enemy of the Species by Ladelle McWhorter (prt 1)

McWhorter’s chapter is a critical examination on the concept of ‘diversity’, and the biological implications in the term that lead back to discourse on the idea of ‘species’.

 In recent years, “a common strategy for promoting acceptance of racial, ethnic, and religious minorities in many corporate and educational institutions has been to insist that diversity in any population is superior to homogeneity”(73). homogeneity=stagnation, redundancy of ideas, reduced productivity, healthy development requires diversity. The author asks, WHY? Why does diversity as a concept have such political power?

Because, McWhorter contends, behind the sociological notion of diversity lies biological principles and notions even when not explicitly invoked; “genetic diversity is a species shield against extinction during environmental upheaval and a resource for its evolutionary advancement. If all individuals are alike genetically, everyone is vulnerable to disease or predation in exactly the same ways. A single catastrophe could wipe out the entire line” (74). This is a very common environmental concern. “Genetic diversity enables evolutionary development” and “in short, genetic variation promotes species survival through adaptation across generations” (75). When applied to public discourse, it lends value to diversity—“racial, ethnic, religious, and other forms of diversity are likewise a good thing. They make society more adaptable by increasing the chances that some members of it will understand the problems we face and see solutions even if other members do not. They prevent intellectual, artistic, institutional stagnation. They serve as resources for society as it evolves” (75).

But, as Michel Foucault reminds us, “everything is dangerous” and “knowledge is not made for understanding: it is made for cutting” 1997, 154. We may inadvertently reinforce the concept of ‘species’, a discourse that has historically condemned sexual variation (including interracial heterosexuality). “Human diversity is of value genetically, after all, insofar as species preservation and adaptation are valued managerial goals. Historically, those positioned to manage human populations and human evolution were the ones to define the key terms—such as “human” and “species”’ and they were not good at it.

The scientific term species was invented in the late eighteenth century by naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon (75). “But the term has never been free of controversy” (75). During the Nineteenth century, it was used in debates over “whether Negros and Indians were Homo Sapiens or not” and was again destabilized when Charles Darwin released his work, On the Origin of Species.

“Politically charged from its scientific conception, the concept of species has often brought great harm to both racial and sexual minorities over the past two hundred years” (75).

Through the twentieth century, sexologists (physicians, psychiatrists, and criminologists) studied ‘sexual deviance’ and “produced popular images of homosexual and transgendered people as menacing degenerates”, they created ‘therapies’ that destroyed many peoples health and lives, and “public-hygiene policies intended to eliminate or exploit sexual subcultures” (75)

‘Race Hygiene’ and ‘Race Betterment’ movements=species movement predicated on the idea that homo sapiens must be “purged of deviance and thus preserved and enabled to evolve. Queer people—like dark-skinned (savage) people, disabled (defective) people, chronically ill (weak, feeble) people, and so on—were degenerates who might contaminate the bodies and bloodlines of the evolutionary avant-garde and thus derail Homo sapiens’ biological advance” (76) and thus these people were “biological enemies of the human species, pollutants and pathogens whose very presence posed a physical and possibly mortal threat not only to individual but to the species as a whole” and this kind of thinking in a way continues to this very day.

Queer people and our advocates are drawn into the argument, and we defend sexual diversity as an integral aspect of the species—natural variation rather than cancer, evolutionarily beneficial rather than a sterile dead end.

We must question these assumptions.

[thyfggfy]

Hi! Incoming Roman Archaeology rant!

Since the 19th century, people have wanted to see the Romans as the peak of civilisation who were extremely advanced in issues of urban hygiene, with their baths and sewers and aqueducts and such. (In fact, there are some very annoying engineers who despise archaeologists and who have hordes of followers who to this day insist on this point, but that's off the tangent).

The thing is, our current knowledge of Roman sewers, baths and latrines is showing (or can be convincingly interpreted as supporting the idea) that Roman urban infrastructure was not hygienic. It was hygienic within their Hippocratic world view of pollution and disease, but they would fail any and all modern examination, and we should not use them as our measuring stick to decide what is civilised and not.

Roman sewers were designed to flush water overflow away from cities, but they were mostly designed to be "storm drains", conduits to minimise rainwater and flood damage. Most Roman latrines flowed into cess pits rather than into the open sewers for several reasons: human faeces could be (and were) used as manure in fields and gardens. Latrines did not have systems to stop backflow in case of heavy rain. Most secondary sewers were not self-cleaning with fountain overflow.

About baths, we don't know how often pools were cleaned, but we know that they were hot, over used, that people went into the water sweaty and oily after cleaning themselves (the Romans had no soap), and while there might have been a constant inflow of clean water, it could not have been enough to stop the formation of "gloios", an oily, foamy substance that floated on the water and that was used in Antiquity as glue. Roman doctors advised ill people to go to the bath because that would help with their symptoms, but these were people who bathed with healthy bath-goers. The one exception was people with fresh wounds: they were forbidden to go to the baths because they risked getting literal gangrene.

There's plenty more to say about ringworms, parasites, constipation remedies, sponges-on-sticks, and bum-to-mouth cross-contamination, but I will spare some of these details.

Aks and you shall receive. Seriously though. Thank you, Rhys. You are the sweetest.

[drinkinboilingcoffee]

Official statement regarding the current outbreak (released as of March 17th, 2024)

Symptoms: Taking effect much faster than typical prions, symptoms take hold about 2 days after infection. Symptoms begin as impaired thinking and memory. After about a week, muscle stiffness, limping/changed gait, hallucinations, and increased aggression will begin to afflict the infected. The infected may also suffer uncontrollable fits of laughing or crying at this stage. Symptoms will progressively increase in severity until at about 2 weeks, the infected falls into a fit of seizures, causing further psychological damage. Upon awakening, the infected will have lost its ability to communicate and will become extremely aggressive, lashing out at any living creatures it can find. At this point, the infected should be considered deceased.

Contrary to popular belief, the disease does not kill the host (as normal prions would) and revive them. Instead, the victim’s mind is atrophied to the point of inability to use human reason. They are driven by aggression, and will attack on sight. Infected still require food and water to survive, and water sources they’ve dranken from, as well as carcasses they’ve consumed, countain their saliva and should be considered highly contagious.

As the infected cease human hygiene practices, they are likely to contract a number of funguses and diseases, giving the illusion of the person rotting.

How to identify infected: Infected individuals walk with an odd gate, typically limping or sometimes walking in circles and often accompanied by twitching or spasms. Any attempts to communicate with it verbally or nonverbally will be ignored. It may occasionally let out loud screeches or screams, or be overcome with fits of laughing or crying. Infected personnel will be extremely aggressive, lashing out at any who come near and seeking out any sources of movement or loud noise.

Depending on the amount of time since infection, some may appear sickly or near decomposed. Look for untreated cuts and bruises, soiled or tattered clothing, open sores or rashes, and other signs of illness or poor hygiene. Be aware that some survivors may also exhibit similar signs, so do not fire on sight until you’ve either confirmed infection by inability to communicate or you feel your life may be in immediate danger from waiting any longer.

Means of spreading: The disease spreads via infected bodily fluids. Being bitten by an infected and contracting their saliva is the most effective means of spreading. However, soil, water, crops and meat contaminated by the disease are also highly dangerous.

Cause: The disease is caused by an altered form of prions (a mutated protein that affects the brain- look it up, it’s absolutely terrifying). The condition is known as Neurological Atrophication Disease (NAD)

Host: All mammals (only mammals can be infected. Other animals can still spread it.)

Prognosis: There is no known cure or treatment for the disease, and symptoms are guaranteed to develop after infection. Those infected are recommended to be put out of their misery before becoming too aggressive.

Status: Pandemic

Mutations: One rare strain of the disease is quickly fatal. This could be considered better or worse, as it reduces the spread but results in more human death. Symptoms are the same, only develop quicker, and the seizures are 100% fatal. It is currently unclear whether this variant will die out or take over.

How it began: The disease first originated in pork, and quickly spread across stock, infecting entire farms before symptoms even arose. The infected meat was distributed across the US and spread rapidly across the globe via travel and public water supplies.

How to prevent the spread: World Health Organization procedure recommends you put down any infected you encounter. Be careful not to come into contact with the blood, as it is highly contaminated. Do not hunt or consume any animals exhibiting unusual behavior. If possible, try to eat things like poultry and high hanging fruit that you gather yourself. Be aware that prions can still be absorbed through soil and transmitted by plants and animals that don’t develop symptoms, so do not assume this will save you. Do not fish in or drink from large bodies of still water, as these are almost guaranteed to be infected by now. Collect water from rain and fast moving rivers (going as far up to the source as possible).

Prions cannot be killed, as they are proteins, not alive. Bleach can inactivate the proteins on hard surfaces (but not tissue), as can exposure to heat in excess of 900 degrees for several hours. As such, you are recommended to bleach any surfaces you suspect may contain infected bodily fluids. If you aren’t sure which surfaces are infected, you should set fire to the building. There is no known method of disinfecting food while maintaining its edibility.

How to keep yourself safe from the infected: Barricade your home as best as possible. Stock up on firearms and other weapons. Move around as silently as possible. Most infected aren’t particularly strong or fast in their current state, but they are incredibly persistent. They will continue to chase after prey for long periods of time, maintaining full sprints for 2-3 hours before collapsing, and tracking prey across several kilometers and attacking once their quarry is too exhausted to move.

The infected tend to rely on hearing to find people. Do not make loud noise or operate heavy machinery. If one infected individual spots you, it is likely to begin making loud noises through its movement and vocalization, inevitably drawing in more infected. If possible, take them out as quietly and quickly as you can. Silencers are highly recommended for firearms. The use of generators is strongly discouraged, as the constant noise gives off your position. It is more important to remain hidden than to have power. 

Seek shelter in cold climates. The infected aren’t intelligent enough to bundle up, so they are likely to succumb to hypothermia. If you cannot reach such a place, stick to rural environments where the concentration of human infected will be lower. Do not settle in forests with high concentrations of mammalian wildlife. Such forests may be overrun with aggressive creatures.

We thank you for your understanding and cooperation during this critical time.

Please take care, stay safe, and stop the spread.

World Health organization & United States Government

[mycochaotix]

MCX Rants: Cloning

r/ContamFam mycopal asks: “Hey pal do you have any good tips or sources for info on moving mushroom tissue to agar?”

MCX Answers: The way I understand it is: you can do two types of transfers for cloning, considered most common and effective.

One is as you mentioned the splitting stipe and taking a transfer from inside the stipe. You want to ensure that your area, yourself, and your tools are cleaned with isopropyl alcohol 70% . You will tear from the base up towards the cap, with the exposed part of the STIPE, towards your laminar flow, or towards the back of your still airbox. you only need a rice size piece of transfer.

Often the inner flesh is very stringy and breaks away quite easily. I’ll personally just cut a rice size cut in a square shape from the inner part of the stipe and then gently poke that and pull it out and put it on a plate. Sometimes inner Mycelium flesh can pull away and you can put that on a plate. The mushroom fruit body is all mycelium. Everything about it is made from mycelium, and arguably all of its components, contain but also can, either: produce or generate, and proliferate mycelium from that fruit body.

The second way involves approaching the xfer from the topside of the cap, ‘dorsal’ and cutting open the center dorsal point and then take from inside the cap at the pileus-stipe junction… but from within the cap… its a little more technical and often can expose the xfer to contam from the flesh u open up before taking xfer if you arent careful in how you peel back the external flesh and when you push the knife into the cap it can push microbes down into the previously unexposed inner mycelial tissue).

The idea for these types of transfers is that contaminants in your environment that float in around you or fall off of you, if present, likely is on or near your external fruitbody. If you take from the inside of the fruitbody its arguable that its more clean and free of contaminant microbes as the primordia formation is assumedly on healthy uncontaminated mycelium and unless the flesh tears during maturation, the inner parts are fully protected from external contaminant sources while growing.

Sometimes these cooccurring microbes are harmless to your grow and to you, and can even be beneficial (like certain yeasts that are used in agar preparation) or even some naturally occurring bacteria in the substrate! I think of my tubs as a homeostatic localized microclimate - environment :)

Our tubs, and the fungi in them have similar homeostasis in the wild, and can be conceptually applied to community mycology cultivation!

I think of comparing potential “microcosm” cultivation much like the human body, external and internal… theres always gonna be contaminant microbes on our skin and around our mucosal membranes, but with proper hygiene and diet our body is its own microcosm of microbes that are fucking and fighting away under our literal noses xD —- its when one grouping of these microbes begins to advantage over the equalized body microcosm we have (think if you dont bathe you may develop yeast and bacterial infections more easily as surface conditions of your skin and within your creases, nooks and crannies will can be overpowered by something that spreads… )

and thats kind of the basic idea of germ theory I think… and I also think it applies to our grow environments if approach cultivation holistically :)

surely im missing technical nuance but I know my thoughts are in the spirit of the theory!

Hope my thoughts aid your mycojourney!

-MCX

Related resources:

- Yoshi Cloning vid and result video

- PGT Cloning Vid

- Ashley/Boomer Shroomer Cloning vid

[pennyappealusaseo]

Empowering Women and Girls through Thirst Relief

Water is a fundamental necessity for all living beings, yet millions of people around the world lack access to clean and safe water sources. The global water crisis disproportionately affects women and girls, who often bear the burden of fetching water for their families, sacrificing their education, health, and overall well-being. In this blog, we will explore how organizations like Penny Appeal USA are empowering women and girls through thirst relief initiatives, providing them with access to clean water and transforming their lives in the process.

The Water Crisis and its Impact on Women and Girls: Across the globe, approximately 2.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water, and about 4.2 billion people lack adequate sanitation facilities. The ramifications of this crisis are particularly severe for women and girls, who face various challenges due to their traditional roles and responsibilities.

One of the most significant challenges is the time and effort spent on fetching water. In many communities, women and girls are responsible for traveling long distances to collect water from contaminated sources, exposing them to health risks and preventing them from pursuing education and other opportunities. The daily struggle for water perpetuates the cycle of poverty and gender inequality.

Empowering Women and Girls through Thirst Relief: Penny Appeal USA recognizes the importance of addressing the water crisis from a gender perspective and has developed comprehensive programs to empower women and girls through thirst relief initiatives. By providing access to clean water, these initiatives aim to break the barriers that prevent women and girls from reaching their full potential. Here are some key ways in which Penny Appeal USA is making a difference:

Water Wells and Infrastructure: Penny Appeal USA constructs water wells, boreholes, and water infrastructure in communities affected by water scarcity. These projects significantly reduce the distance and time spent collecting water, allowing women and girls to invest their time in education, income-generating activities, and personal development.

Sanitation and Hygiene Education: In addition to water provision, Penny Appeal USA promotes sanitation and hygiene education. Women and girls are educated on proper sanitation practices, menstrual hygiene management, and the importance of handwashing. By equipping them with knowledge, Penny Appeal USA enables women and girls to lead healthier lives and maintain their dignity.

Economic Empowerment: Penny Appeal USA supports income-generating projects that focus on water-related activities, such as water filtration systems and small-scale water businesses. These projects create opportunities for women to earn a sustainable income, contributing to their economic empowerment and breaking the cycle of poverty.

Advocacy and Awareness: Penny Appeal USA raises awareness about the water crisis and its impact on women and girls, advocating for change at local, national, and international levels. By amplifying the voices of marginalized communities, Penny Appeal USA promotes policy reforms and greater investment in sustainable water solutions.

The Ripple Effect of Empowerment: The impact of Penny Appeal USA’s efforts goes beyond the provision of clean water. Empowering women and girls through thirst relief initiatives has a ripple effect on entire communities. When women are no longer burdened by the arduous task of water collection, they have more time to engage in income-generating activities, pursue education, and contribute to community development. The education and opportunities afforded to girls break the intergenerational cycle of poverty, empowering them to become agents of change in their own right.

Access to clean water is a basic human right, and Penny Appeal USA is at the forefront of empowering women and girls through thirst relief initiatives. By addressing the unique challenges faced by women and girls in water-scarce regions, Penny Appeal USA is transforming lives, promoting gender equality, and creating sustainable change. Together, let us support these crucial initiatives and work towards a world where every woman and girl has the opportunity to thrive, unencumbered by the burden of water scarcity.

[curlysgirl0202]

THE COWBOY STENCH

That Cowboy Stench

by Dr. Jim Kornberg | Nov 1, 2008 | Inside History

Frontier cattle drovers were definitely hygienically-challenged.

Having worked in the emergency room as a young physician throughout the 1970s, I learned the difference between human “sweat” and “stench,” as these apply to the presentation of different patients under a wide variety of circumstances.

I concluded that “sweat is fine.” “Stench” is another matter. The differentiation between these two presentations is not intended to be judgmental in any manner, whatsoever. It is simply the clinical, olfactory (smelly) observation that human beings are sometimes deprived by choice or circumstances of the opportunity to maintain proper hygiene. The definition of “proper” hygiene is beyond the scope of this discussion. It varies not only by geography but also by century, among many other factors. Thanks to the advertising of commercial hygiene products (e.g. deodorants and shampoos), our perception of “proper hygiene” in the mid-20th and 21st centuries is quite different from that of the late 19th century in frontier America.

The bottom line is that humans who either can’t or won’t bathe for long periods of time are at risk for a variety of maladies. Such was probably the case regarding the frontier cowboy, especially in winter, when bathing in the outdoors presented the risk of chills and hypothermia. The cowboy was often on the trail for months, with little or no opportunity to wash up, much less to bathe. He usually had no full change of clothing and no “toilet articles.” He slept in dusty conditions, on dirty blankets contaminated with animal hair and other animal “debris.”

Because of his arduous circumstances, the cowboy was at risk for a number of medical setbacks. I intend to discuss only the most minor and aggravating ones. All of these problems continue to afflict us today when we go for extended periods without bathing or washing. The problems are usually confined to the skin and occur because of the accumulation of sweat, dirt and excretions from sebaceous glands that together provide the perfect growth environment for bacteria, fungi and parasites.

The accumulation of normal skin bacteria without bathing is a controversial topic. Some dermatologists think that this process does not put humans at risk for diseases but is just harmless, intense “body odor.” They also argue correctly that our frequent bathing and hand washing with harsh soaps sets us up for dry skin and irritant dermatitis.

In any case, the cowboy often “smelled like his horse,” because of the accumulation of normal skin bacteria. If he had the misfortune of contaminating a cut or abrasion with strep or staph, he might have developed impetigo, an abscess or cellulitis. Although usually not fatal, these infections were often chronic, easily spreadable to other areas of the body and contagious to others.

More troublesome were the fungal infections that afflicted his groin area (“crotch rot”), buttocks and feet (athlete’s foot). For the cowboy, these infections were a curse, because they itched so badly and tended to burn. Like today, excessive itching of fungal-infected areas with dirty nails could have led to an opportunistic bacterial skin infection.

Finally, there is little doubt that the cowboy who had not washed up for weeks was at high risk for parasite infestation, especially fleas and lice. When first caught from mice, the former could have rarely led to contracting plague (the Black Death). The latter could have appeared as pubic lice (“crabs”), or lice infecting the head or body. Under rare circumstances, the latter could have been a setup for fatal typhus.

Hollywood has shown varying degrees of realism with respect to this subject. In my experience, the accuracy of a cowboy’s state of “trail hygiene” was rarely, if ever, depicted before Sergio Leone’s 1964 epic A Fistful of Dollars, starring Clint Eastwood. In this and many later movies, the characters have appeared as sweaty and stinky as some of the unfortunate patients that I recall having treated in the emergency room.

I doubt, however, that these actors were ever as miserable as our cowboy who had spent three or four months on the trail, with no warm shower waiting for him at the end of each day in his hotel suite or his dressing room trailer.

[wildliferemovalplus]

Five Benefits of Qualified Wildlife Removal Orlando

Creatures is an important component of our natural community, adding to the balance and range of everyday life in the world. Nevertheless, when wild animals encroach upon individual environments, disagreements can emerge, leading to possible hazards and problems. In such circumstances, specialist creatures removal solutions participate in a crucial part. In this particular article, our team will certainly explore five essential perks of choosing professionals for wild animals removal.

Security

Among the primary factors to pick specialist Orlando wildlife removal solutions is safety. Taking care of wild animals, particularly those that experience cornered or even imperiled, can be very harmful. Several wild animals lug conditions, like rabies, that may be transferred to people via bites or even cuts out. In addition, seeking to catch or take out animals without the proper equipment and know-how may lead to accidents to both humans and also the creatures themselves.

Qualified wild animals removal pros are qualified to take care of these conditions carefully. They possess the needed tools, including snares and also protective equipment, to take care of various varieties of wild animals without putting any individual in jeopardy. They also understand the actions as well as practices of different creatures, enabling all of them to make enlightened selections about the very best method for removal.

Humane Treatment

While it may be actually necessary to take out wildlife coming from human-occupied locations, it is actually vital to do so humanely and also morally. Professional animals removal solutions focus on the well-being of the creatures they run into. They are trained to use procedures that lessen worry and also harm to the pets, ensuring their secure relocation or release in to a suited environment.

These professionals are well-versed in local creatures rules as well as regulations, ensuring that all removal and relocation operations follow lawful needs. This commitment to humane treatment prepares expert wildlife removal companies besides amateur attempts that may accidentally harm or get rid of the animals they are attempting to get rid of.

Prevent Home Harm

Animals can easily induce significant damages to residential or commercial properties and residences. Animals like raccoons, birds, and also squirrels can nest in attic rooms, smokeshafts, or crawl spaces, causing structural harm, power problems, as well as fire dangers. Delving pets like moles and also groundhogs can easily inflict chaos on gardens and yards. Trying to take care of these circumstances without specialist assistance can easily lead to more damage as well as costly repair services.

Expert Orlando wildlife removal pros have the expertise and also adventure to evaluate the extent of the harm and also apply efficient approaches to stop further damage. They can carefully eliminate the pets and deliver solutions to fortify your home against potential wildlife intrusions.

Disease Control

Wild animals frequently bring different conditions that could be sent to family pets and also people. Rabies, for instance, is a fatal condition that could be transferred through the spit of infected creatures, primarily by means of attacks. Raccoons, baseball bats, and skunks are well-known providers of rabies in numerous regions.

Qualified wild animals removal solutions are well-aware of the prospective health and wellness dangers connected with wild animals encounters. They take preventative measures to defend themselves and others coming from disease gear box during removal techniques. Also, they can determine possible sources of contaminants and encourage hygiene measures to reduce the risk of ailment transmission on your residential property.

Stop Reappearance

One of the considerable benefits of choosing specialist wildlife removal Orlando solutions is their capacity to avoid recurrence. Amateurs might successfully clear away an animal from your residential or commercial property, but without attending to the root cause of the breach, the concern is most likely to come back.

Specialist wildlife removal experts conduct in depth assessments to calculate exactly how and why creatures are entering your property. They then implement helpful approaches to seal access factors, strengthen at risk places, and discourage potential wild animals intrusions. This comprehensive method certainly not just clears away the quick hazard yet likewise minimizes the probability of future conflicts with wild animals.

Result

When wildlife ventures in to human environments, it can trigger prospective hazards, property harm, as well as wellness risks. In such conditions, choosing professional creatures removal solutions is actually the safest and most reliable service. These experts prioritize safety, gentle treatment of pets, home protection, ailment control, as well as long-lasting protection. Through getting their expertise, you may ensure that animals conflicts are resolved effectively and sensibly, protecting both your residential property as well as the welfare of the creatures included.

All American Pest Control

390 N Orange Ave Suite #2300

Orlando, FL 32801

(321) 559-7378

Orlando Wildlife Removal

[darla-30]

GERMS

Germs" is a general term used to refer to microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites, that can cause disease or infection in humans, animals and plants. These microorganisms may be pathogenic, meaning that they have the ability to cause disease, or they may be harmless or even beneficial in certain contexts.

Here is a description of the main types of germs:

1. bacteria: these are single-celled microorganisms that can be beneficial or harmful. Some bacteria are essential for digestion and the immune system in the human body, while others can cause infections such as salmonella or tuberculosis.

2. Viruses: They are much smaller particles than bacteria and are not complete cells. Viruses need to invade host cells to reproduce and can cause diseases such as influenza, HIV or COVID-19.

3. Parasites: These are multicellular organisms that live at the expense of other organisms hosts and can cause disease. Examples include intestinal worms and protozoa.

4. Protozoa: These are single-celled microorganisms that can cause infectious diseases in humans, such as malaria and giardiasis.

Germs can be spread through direct contact with infected people, contaminated surfaces, contaminated food or water, and are often the underlying cause of many infectious diseases

SYMPTOMS

Symptoms of an infection caused by germs vary depending on the type of microorganism and the part of the body affected. Here are some examples of common symptoms of infections caused by germs:

Fever, headache, throat inflammation, muscle and abdominal pain, usually see itching or allergies, fatigue as this is common during an infection as the body is using energy to fight the invading microorganism. Shortness of breath and chest pain may be present in respiratory infections such as the common cold, flu and cough.

Symptoms may vary in severity and duration depending on the individual and the specific infection. If you experience symptoms suggestive of infection, it is advisable to seek medical attention for proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

PREVENTIONS

Preventing infections caused by germs is critical to maintaining personal health and preventing the spread of disease in the community. Here are some important prevention measures:

1. Hand Washing: Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the restroom, before eating, and after touching potentially contaminated surfaces.

2. Avoid Touching Your Face: Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose and mouth, as germs can enter the body through these areas, use face masks to prevent the spread of germs.

3. Vaccination: Make sure you are up to date with recommended vaccinations to prevent infectious diseases. Vaccinations are a powerful tool for prevention.

4. Personal Hygiene: Maintain good personal hygiene, including proper skin and hair care, and change clothes regularly.

These preventive measures can help to significantly reduce the risk of infections caused by germs.