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1. A few scores of years ago, some bacteriologist showed that metal handles on toilet doors were inimical to bacterial survival. Plastic ones were kind to pathogens.
2. Even longer ago, when smallpox was around and clothing etc of incoming travellers needed to be disinfected, at least the gold jewellery did not suffer.
Our bank notes? The new plastic ones do survive the ordinary washing machine at 40 degrees centigrade. . I have not ventured to prove the sturdiness of the £20 notes at 100 degrees C.
I try to use pound coins whenever possible.
Question. Do the hospital control of infection officers (assuming they have not been rendered extinct) check the bacteriological status of toilet doors? Hospital ward doors?
(I know we visitors are enjoined to use a bactericidal cream on leaving a ward.)
Re: Ig Nobel awards
Some thought provoking snippets.
There are a few more - long forgotten?
1. A few scores of years ago, some bacteriologist showed that metal handles on toilet doors were inimical to bacterial survival. Plastic ones were kind to pathogens.
2. Even longer ago, when smallpox was around and clothing etc of incoming travellers needed to be disinfected, at least the gold jewellery did not suffer.
Our bank notes? The new plastic ones do survive the ordinary washing machine at 40 degrees centigrade. . I have not ventured to prove the sturdiness of the £20 notes at 100 degrees C.
I try to use pound coins whenever possible.
Question. Do the hospital control of infection officers (assuming they have not been rendered extinct) check the bacteriological status of toilet doors? Hospital ward doors?
(I know we visitors are enjoined to use a bactericidal cream on leaving a ward.)
Competing interests: No competing interests