She was heading for the doors. She left and I commented to
another woman, already washing hands at the sink,
”
I’m always surprised how many people don’t wash their hands.
”
Given our proximity to Los Banos, and as a highly controversial opinion columnist, I feel the time has come to address bathroom issues. This is wafer-thin dirty ice to skate on: I’m taking on a topic just about as incendiary as wearing an American flag t-shirt on Cinco de Mayo. Bear down with me as I go out on a limb here.
WASHING HANDS: I still smile when I remember the day I came out of a stall at the same time as someone else. Assuming we were both heading to the sinks, I veered in such a way as to facilitate our hand-washing, only to have the other woman completely slam into me. She was heading for the doors. She left and I commented to another woman, already washing hands at the sink, “I’m always surprised how many people don’t wash their hands.” And in the mirror, we both watched as yet another woman emerging from a stall began to walk to the doors until she registered what I had said, blushed, and came to wash her hands instead. I’m proud I exerted peer pressure in a positive way; I’m sure I changed that woman’s life forever.
Because, people, germs are not a fairy tale. They really exist! People who wash hands on a regular basis suffer far fewer colds and flus. According to the Center for Disease Control website, “Hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.”
There can be serious health risks associated in particular with not washing your hands after using the restroom. Consider Typhoid Mary, the 1800s cook who was a typhoid carrier. The families she worked for developed typhoid fever, with a handful (no pun intended) even dying. She moved from household to household, and every time she started a new job, everyone there would become ill.
Carriers secrete typhoid bacteria when they urinate and defecate. She would emerge from the privy—no running water in those days—and simply start cooking. It is possible to clean one’s hands well enough to eradicate the bacteria, but Typhoid Mary wasn’t trying. The health department made her promise to undertake another occupation, but she changed names and started cooking again.
She was quarantined on an island for over 20 years, and eventually died in quarantine. Overall, she caused more than 50 people to become ill (and typhoid is a very unpleasant disease), and five people to die, including one after she changed her name and willfully ignored the information that she was a carrier.
Typhoid is largely eradicated in the U.S. today, thanks to vaccinations (and don’t get me started on people who fail to immunize their children). But still, running a little soap and water over one’s digits is still a grand idea.
PILES: And here’s a bit of information for retailers and restauranteurs. Ever notice a little pile of paper towels by the door of the bathroom? There’s a reason. Those of us who wash hands observe that many, many don’t—and we don’t want to touch the doorknob that those people did. So we keep the paper towel we dried our hands on and use it as a protective layer between us and the doorknob. Then we … well, we discard it. Sorry. We know that part isn’t very nice. But you can very easily solve that problem by always making sure there’s a trashcan right by the door as well as by the sinks.
BABY NEEDS A FACILITY TOO: The other day, our family was trying to decide where to go out to eat. We had two options in mind. One had a baby changing station in the bathroom and one didn’t. And guess where we went. Yup. Thanks, Ninja Sushi! I’ve even found myself telling friends about your changing station (and gargling station too: thanks for the thrill!) as if it was the lost treasure of the Sierra Madre. If I owned a restaurant, I’d make sure I had one; it really does bring in business from parents exhausted from trying to change diapers in adverse conditions. And it’s not a huge investment. I did a web search for you and you can buy a Diaper Depot unit for $140.
DENOUEMENT: Some of you may be disappointed I didn’t touch on ALL things bathroom, and failed to delve into the more gross aspects of lavatory use. As for that, all I can say is, eat a balanced diet and all shall be well.
Erika Mailman is a historical novelist and teaches writing online through mediabistro.com. www.erikamailman.com.
