# Rating public health threats

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rating-public-health-threats/750043>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 24, 2016, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rating-public-health-threats/750043 "2016-03-24T18:48:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![CJMINZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/48db29/32.png) [@CJMINZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJMINZ)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2016, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rating-public-health-threats/750043/1 "2016-03-24T18:48:47Z")

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Hi, which is worse from a public health standpoint, human feces or a freshly hocked loogie. While we’re at it, what are thoughts on doing a neti rinse in the kitchen sink? Thank you.

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**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2016, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rating-public-health-threats/750043/2 "2016-03-24T18:54:08Z")

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From a public health standpoint, assuming that you are talking about a “normal” sized bowel movement amount of human feces or a loogie, it’s practically zero. A lot of clarification is needed; is it just sitting there on the sidewalk? Is it in the toilet? Is it in a water reservoir? Is it on somebody? What are you trying to ask here?

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**Author:** ![CJMINZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/48db29/32.png) [@CJMINZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJMINZ)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2016, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rating-public-health-threats/750043/3 "2016-03-31T13:52:59Z")

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Hi, sorry, let’s say they’re on a sidewalk, you step in it, you walk into a grocery store or restaurant. What kind of germs are you spreading, how many, how communicable. Thank you.

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**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2016, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rating-public-health-threats/750043/4 "2016-03-31T20:58:48Z")

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It depends greatly on the health of the person from whom the detritus originated.

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**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2016, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rating-public-health-threats/750043/5 "2016-03-31T23:43:04Z")

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I’d say the feces would be the biggest danger; sputum isn’t usually very great in amount, and would dry up almost immediately, and also be non-hazardous if it was in the sunlight (albeit gross).

Anyone remember this nugget (no pun intended) from the fall of 2014? SFW, although it’s gross too.

[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6Wrdal-zto)