Boiling Water

[EFLImpudence]

So at the very end is it any worster or is it worstist? Should be of course in the end is it any worst.

Depends what you mean:
'Is it any worse?' or 'Is it worse?' or 'Is it the worst?' could be correct. Definitely never 'worster' or 'worstist'.

 

[SimonH2]

All we had which we knew was safe was wine, Oh did my wife get drunk!

Interestingly the first example of epidemiology was with Cholera. At the time, it was believed that it was passed by "bad air" and people whitewashed walls to try and ward it off. But the relevance here is the bit (from this article) where it says :
There was one significant anomaly—none of the workers in the nearby Broad Street brewery contracted cholera. As they were given a daily allowance of beer, they did not consume water from the nearby well.[19] During the brewing process, the wort (or un-fermented beer) is boiled in part so that hops can be added. This step killed the cholera bacteria in the water they had used to brew with, making it safe to drink.

 

[JohnW2]

Interestingly the first example of epidemiology was with Cholera.

Methinks that Mr Hippocrates might have had something to say about that, over 2000 years earlier

Kind Regards, John

 

[ericmark]

Some countries drank tea, same thing, water boiled to make tea.

 

[securespark]

Do not use for washing?
And surely even non-potable water is potable after boiling for 20 minutes?

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

Mmm... might depend on why it isn't potable.

 

[JohnW2]

Do not use for washing? And surely even non-potable water is potable after boiling for 20 minutes?

As Detlef has said (and as I said at the start of all this), it depends upon why the water is "non-potable".

As I said before, boiling will deal with most (but not quite all) biological contaminants (bacteria, parasites, viruses etc.), but will have little or no effect on many/most chemical contaminants - so, if it were 'non-potable' because of contamination with, say, heavy metals (lead, arsenic etc.) boiling would not usually make it 'potable'.

"Do not use for washing" is a little odd when mentioned in relation to 'non-potable' water (which only means 'non-drinkable'), unless they are thinking of small amounts getting into one's mouth when washing one's face (or even "washing one's teeth" or "washing one's mouth"!). However, quite apart from 'potability' ('drinkability') there theoretically could be contaminants which rendered water unsuitable for washing, if they were harmful/irritating to skin and/or contained toxins which could be absorbed through skin (like novichok!).

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Depends what you mean:
'Is it any worse?' or 'Is it worse?' or 'Is it the worst?' could be correct. Definitely never 'worster' or 'worstist'.

Worsted?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

As I said before, boiling will deal with most (but not quite all) biological contaminants (bacteria, parasites, viruses etc.), but will have little or no effect on many/most chemical contaminants - so, if it were 'non-potable' because of contamination with, say, heavy metals (lead, arsenic etc.) boiling would not usually make it 'potable'.

Nor with some toxins left behind by the now-dead organisms, I believe?

 

[JohnW2]

As I have explained before, heat-stable toxins produced by micro-organisms are (fortunately) very rare, although (just like 'heat stable' micro-organisms) not totally non-existent. Were they not very rare, we would have big problems with medicines, particularly injectable ones, since they generally cannot be heat-sterilised, and most toxins have small enough molecules to get through the filters which are used instead

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So decayed meat is perfectly safe to eat once cooked?

 

[JohnW2]

Yes, adequately cooked decayed meat (or any other foodstuff) is nearly always safe to eat. Hence the practice originating in days of old (pre-refrigeration) of adding strong flavourings to disguise the taste of 'off meat'.

MOD I fear certain users are not getting the hint, thread off topic and closed.