Editor;
Re: Imodium & water purifying tablets (PM Mailbag Friday, 25 December 2015) – So what do you think is complicated? Do you propose an army of “Johnny Apple Seeds” roaming the African countries dispensing Imodium and water purifying tablets? Warning them the little white ones were to be taken orally & the big ones were to be placed in their drinking water. Let’s face it, some of these people are living an almost stone age existence, but even they would wonder why throwing tablets down their wells will make water taste better. A far better idea would be to train them to have their “cesspits further away from their wells”.
World Health Organisation states 420,000 die worldwide from gastroenteritis related illness is drawing a long bow. Sadly 30% are children as no autopsies are conducted one could assume many of these unfortunate children could have died from any other disease. As they are too young to have grown the “antibodies” of their elders.
Diseases such as salmonella, diarrhoea, etc are not confined to third world countries. Only last week a cruise liner docked in Sydney with 180 cases of salmonella.
Cleanliness in food preparation is a must. A visit to the toilet by a kitchen worker who returns without washing their hands could cause an outbreak. Simple things such as not cleaning a work bench after working with chicken and then preparing beef on the unclean surface is frowned on by most chefs. If you are unsure of any left over hot food either don’t eat it or nuke it in a microwave oven and the heat should kill the bacteria. Also be careful with salads and make sure they are washed thoroughly. Fruit is also is a must, make sure it is clean and avoid eating the skins. Strawberries can be the worst carrier of this disease if not washed, as their seeds are on the outside.
Meanwhile, bon appetite.
Ryan Patricks
