Dear all:

I probably spent far too much time in developing countries and just enough time in the 
"required environmental engineering class" at Johns Hopkins to have a few dangerous 
ideas seep into my formula fed brain.  One of those weird environmental engineers had 
slide show of various assorted toilets used across the globe --- and yes, people were in 
his photos. He was very proud of his collection.  My dissertation advisor had a study 
published in a peer-reviewed journal called "Mother's Milk and Sewage".  It was one of 
the original arguments against the formula industries complaints about the studies in the 
developing countries that showed really high infant mortality rates.  They claimed that 
the studies were of poor quality.  Turns out that the studies were absolutely correct --- 
much higher mortality rates from formula occur when sanitation is poor --- but mortality 
rates are always higher among formula fed infants.

Hospitals have and always will be a highly concentrated source of unhealthy bacteria 
merely because that is where very ill people go.  The worst nipple infections I have ever 
seen were resistant bacteria picked up from a hospital setting ---- so what follows has no 
bearing on those who must work in hospitals.  Even when my son went in for a routine 
hernia operation --- I had to restrain myself from wanting to test every single person who 
would be anywhere near my son in their hand washing technique because of my fear of 
MRSA.  

Outside the hospital --- people forget that most of our body is infused with bacteria and 
most types of bacteria are benign or helpful.  In some third world settings where animal 
sources of food are almost nonexistent, fecal contamination is actually a good source of 
vitamin B12.  I remember reading a few studies on the topic.  

One of my favorite quotes was "the world is swimming in a film of fecal contamination".  
Really truly this is so and even the show the Myth Busters confirmed what I had already 
learned at Johns Hopkins.  They did a crazy test with tooth brushes with various means of 
sanitizing the tooth brushes and found just as much fecal contamination on tooth brushes 
kept out of the bathroom and in the kitchen.  You just cannot escape fecal bacteria.  They 
really are everywhere.

One of the most bizarre experiences I have had recently was at our local laundromat.  A 
woman came in and sprayed the inside of the dryer with one of those "so-called" 
antibacterial air deodorants.  This set me back by a good four hours because it triggered 
a nasty allergic reaction and sinus headache.  I'm not quite sure what she thought was 
happening in the air around her --- but I'm sure in minutes the bacteria floating around 
just crept right back into the air in the dryer.  And, she probably killed off some helpful 
bacteria in the process --- and who knows if she then goes home and takes probiotics to 
replace what she just killed off.  Never mind that some of us are sensitive to the 
chemicals in those sprays. 

I also find it quite strange that in Staples they talk about "detoxing your office" with 
antibacterial spray.  While some bacteria do manufacture toxins, there are many toxins 
that are not wiped out by an antibacterial spray.  You cannot wash off lead dust and other 
contaminants by using Purell.  No one teaches their children to wash their hands 
anymore.  It was proposed at my son's school that they substitute Purell dispensers for 
hand washing.  Yet, right across the street is a construction site--- so you can imagine 
the dust.  Purell does nothing for this type of dust.

But then --- I survived Peace Corps.  We had a saying about volunteers.  The first few 
months after arrival if you find a fly in your beer, you throw the beer out and ask for 
another.  After a year, you just keep drinking with the fly in the beer.  The second year, 
you demand to have a beer with a fly in it because it is a good source of protein.

So, breast milk is not only a natural disinfectant for harmful bacteria --- it is also a 
promoter of the bacteria that are helpful!

Susan Burger

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