[Sca-cooks] mustards

[Martin G. Diehl]

[attributions restored]

Jadwiga Zajaczkowa / Jenne Heise wrote:

> "Martin G. Diehl" <mdiehl at nac.net> wrote: 

> > Stefan li Rous <StefanliRous at austin.rr.com>

> > > In England, when? I was thinking that water would have
> > > to be boiled, otherwise you would be taking a chance
> > > on using water which was contaminated with microbes.
> >
> > 'microbes' ... yeah ... and _everything_ else.
> >
> > Stefan, how could they have generally known about health
> > hazards of water in the Renaissance?  In Holland, about
> > 1595 the microscope was invented by Zacharias Jansenn
> > (his business was grinding lenses for eyeglasses).  
> > Later, Anton van Leeuwenhoek began to make microscopes 
> > as a hobby.
> 
> Well, bad water tends to lead with acute directness to 
> dysentery, which tends to give people a clue. The 
> association of standing water or bad smelling water in 
> particular with health risks were known.  

What is the time frame?  Would a parasitic infestation 
take longer to manifest and to become noticeable?  

Is it possible to become infected (infested) from water 
that looks or smells OK?  

How long did it take them to make the connection between 
rats, fleas, and the plague?  

Maybe they didn't always make the connection.  

> Just because we don't know _why_ something is bad for 
> people doesn't necessarily mean we can't see when it 
> causes problems.
> 
> > I recall reading a comment (IIRC, NY Times) that 
> > modern archeological examination of period cesspools 
> > (coprolites) in London showed that the residents 
> > played host to every parasite known to man.
> 
> Well, yes. But the point is that you want to keep a nice 
> balance of those sorts of things. That's why there are 
> so many herbs known in period for de-worming people. :)

It's good that they were able to work that out.  

However, that suggests that they were treating the symptom 
(parasites) rather than the cause (contaminated water).  

If they could (and did) apply a treatment, why didn't they 
expend equivalent effort to prevention?  

One answer might be fuel cost ... does anything else come 
to mind?  

I am having some trouble visualizing Miracle Max saying, 
"And while you're getting over the worms, you should boil 
your drinking water.  And keep doing that so you don't 
get a new bunch."   <g> 

> > Stefan

> -- Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, Knowledge Pika jenne at fiedlerfamily.net

Vincenzo

-- 
Martin G. Diehl

http://www.renderosity.com/gallery.ez?ByArtist=Yes&Artist=MGD

Reality: That which remains after you stop thinking about it.
  inspired by P. K. Dick