Personal hygiene a recent invention

Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
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The idea that bathing is dangerous may have some merit. :slight_smile: The water supply in the middle ages was heavily contaminated from open sewers, garbage, and decaying bodies (animal and human). The water was not safe to drink. Typhoid, diphtheria and other diseases are associated with contaminated water.

Today, tourists are told to only drink bottled water without ice. You can’t even brush your teeth in contaminated water without risking Montezuma’s Revenge.

If the water supply was extremely contaminated (like in the middle ages) would sitting in the water to bathe be wise? You certainly could get pathogens through open wounds. I wonder if it could enter through your backside into the colon? That’s not exactly an airtight area. :smiley:

I think the myth that bathing is dangerous got started from stories of people that did get sick. It wouldn’t take that many victims to get the myth established.

Improved sanitation and safer water made drinking and bathing safe in modern times. Anyhow, that’s my theory. :smiley:

Any thoughts? I looked for other columns on bathing and didn’t find any. Also, I wonder when showers were invented? Somebody, had the idea of filling a tank of water and slowly releasing it through a “shower head” to create a rain like effect.

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Can’t edit. Man, that 5 min limit flys by quick.

I needed to add that sitting in contaminated water would be even a bigger issue for women. For obvious reasons. Pathogens can invaded any soft tissue found in the mouth and other areas.

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If it weren’t airtight we wouldn’t fart in blurts. We’d just seep methane all day. You have to relax your sphincter a little to let the air out.