20 Things you Didn’t Know About... Hygiene | Infectious Diseases | DISCOVER Magazine

20 Things you Didn’t Know About... Hygiene
Cleanliness is serious business; dirty hands killed a U.S. president.
by Liza Lentini and David Mouzon

1 “Hygiene” comes from Hygieia, the Greek goddess of health, cleanliness, and . . . the moon. Ancient Greek gods apparently worked double shifts.

2 The human body is home to some 1,000 species of bacteria. There are more germs on your body than people in the United States.

3 Not tonight dear, I just washed my hands: Antibacterial soap is no more effective at preventing infection than regular soap, and triclosan (the active ingredient) can mess with your sex hormones.

4 Save the germs! A study of over 11,000 children determined that an overly hygienic environment increases the risk of eczema and asthma.


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