orifice. Feces tend to sit directly in the middle of droppings because the urine, slightly sticky in consistency, clings to them.
Submitted by Ann Marie Byrne, of Queens, New York .
Do Toilet-Seat Covers Really Protect Us Against Anything?
We became suspicious about the efficacy of toilet-seat covers when we pondered, one day: why don’t they sell toilet-seat covers for home use? You see them only in public rest rooms. Perhaps the idea is not to protect you from disease, but from the thought of exposing your bare backside to the same surface area occupied by heaven knows who before you.
We were on the right track. Not only are venereal diseases not spread by toilet seats, but nothing else is, either. Although there was one report suggesting that the herpes virus may survive briefly in such an environment, the secretary of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Dr. J. Byron Gathright, Jr., echoed the senti-ments of other doctors we spoke to: “There is no scientific evidence of disease transmission from toilet seats.”
Submitted by Jean Hanamoto, of Morgan Hill, California .
WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 83
Why Do Sailors Wear Bell-Bottom Trousers?
Nobody knows for sure if there was one particular reason why this custom started, but three theories predominate: 1. The flared leg allows bell-bottoms to fit over boots easily.
Sailors traditionally sleep with their boots at the side of the bed, so that, in case of emergency, they don’t have to waste time trying to position their pants over their footwear. Once a sailor arrives on deck, having the trouser legs fully cover the top of the boot has practical advantages as well—it protects him from spray and rain entering his boots.
2. Bell-bottoms are easily rolled up. Because sailors often work with potentially harmful chemicals (scrubbing the deck with lye, for example), rolling up the cuffs prevents permanent damage to the pants. Also, if a sailor needs to wade ashore, bell-bottoms can easily be rolled up above the knee.
84 / DAVID FELDMAN
3. If a sailor is thrown overboard, bell-bottoms are also easier to remove than conventional trousers. And the loose fit of the bell-bottom also makes it easier to remove boots in the water.
Sailors in boot camp are taught another practical use for bell-bottom trousers. If the legs are tied at the ends, bell-bottoms can hold quite a lot of air; in a pinch, they can be used as flotation devices.
Why Doesn’t Sugar Spoil or Get Moldy?
Virtually all living organisms can digest sugar easily. So why isn’t sugar prone to the same infestation as flour or other kitchen staples?
Because sugar has an extremely low moisture content—usually about 0.02 percent—it dehydrates microorganisms that might cause mold. As John A. Kolberg, vice-president of operations at the Spreckels Division of Amstar Corporation, explains it, “Water molecules diffuse or migrate out of the microorganism at a faster rate than they diffuse into it. Thus, eventually the microorganism dies due to a lack of moisture within it.” Sugar’s low moisture level also impedes chemical changes that could cause spoilage.
All bets are off, however, if sugar is dissolved in water. The more dilute the sugar solution, the more likely yeasts and molds will thrive in it. Even exposure to high humidity for a few days will allow sugar to absorb enough moisture to promote spoilage and mold.
Storing sugar in an airtight container will retard the absorption of moisture even in humid conditions. If stored in an atmosphere unaffected by swings in temperature and humidity, sugar retains its 0.02 percent moisture level and has an unlimited shelf life.
Submitted by Joel Kuni, of Kirkland, Washington .
WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 85
Why Do Nurses Wear White? Why Do Surgeons Wear Blue or Green When Operating?
Florence Nightingale always wore a white uniform. White, of course, is a symbol of purity, and in the case of a nurse, an appropriate and practical
Submitted by Ann Marie Byrne, of Queens, New York .
Do Toilet-Seat Covers Really Protect Us Against Anything?
We became suspicious about the efficacy of toilet-seat covers when we pondered, one day: why don’t they sell toilet-seat covers for home use? You see them only in public rest rooms. Perhaps the idea is not to protect you from disease, but from the thought of exposing your bare backside to the same surface area occupied by heaven knows who before you.
We were on the right track. Not only are venereal diseases not spread by toilet seats, but nothing else is, either. Although there was one report suggesting that the herpes virus may survive briefly in such an environment, the secretary of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, Dr. J. Byron Gathright, Jr., echoed the senti-ments of other doctors we spoke to: “There is no scientific evidence of disease transmission from toilet seats.”
Submitted by Jean Hanamoto, of Morgan Hill, California .
WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 83
Why Do Sailors Wear Bell-Bottom Trousers?
Nobody knows for sure if there was one particular reason why this custom started, but three theories predominate: 1. The flared leg allows bell-bottoms to fit over boots easily.
Sailors traditionally sleep with their boots at the side of the bed, so that, in case of emergency, they don’t have to waste time trying to position their pants over their footwear. Once a sailor arrives on deck, having the trouser legs fully cover the top of the boot has practical advantages as well—it protects him from spray and rain entering his boots.
2. Bell-bottoms are easily rolled up. Because sailors often work with potentially harmful chemicals (scrubbing the deck with lye, for example), rolling up the cuffs prevents permanent damage to the pants. Also, if a sailor needs to wade ashore, bell-bottoms can easily be rolled up above the knee.
84 / DAVID FELDMAN
3. If a sailor is thrown overboard, bell-bottoms are also easier to remove than conventional trousers. And the loose fit of the bell-bottom also makes it easier to remove boots in the water.
Sailors in boot camp are taught another practical use for bell-bottom trousers. If the legs are tied at the ends, bell-bottoms can hold quite a lot of air; in a pinch, they can be used as flotation devices.
Why Doesn’t Sugar Spoil or Get Moldy?
Virtually all living organisms can digest sugar easily. So why isn’t sugar prone to the same infestation as flour or other kitchen staples?
Because sugar has an extremely low moisture content—usually about 0.02 percent—it dehydrates microorganisms that might cause mold. As John A. Kolberg, vice-president of operations at the Spreckels Division of Amstar Corporation, explains it, “Water molecules diffuse or migrate out of the microorganism at a faster rate than they diffuse into it. Thus, eventually the microorganism dies due to a lack of moisture within it.” Sugar’s low moisture level also impedes chemical changes that could cause spoilage.
All bets are off, however, if sugar is dissolved in water. The more dilute the sugar solution, the more likely yeasts and molds will thrive in it. Even exposure to high humidity for a few days will allow sugar to absorb enough moisture to promote spoilage and mold.
Storing sugar in an airtight container will retard the absorption of moisture even in humid conditions. If stored in an atmosphere unaffected by swings in temperature and humidity, sugar retains its 0.02 percent moisture level and has an unlimited shelf life.
Submitted by Joel Kuni, of Kirkland, Washington .
WHY DO CLOCKS RUN CLOCKWISE? / 85
Why Do Nurses Wear White? Why Do Surgeons Wear Blue or Green When Operating?
Florence Nightingale always wore a white uniform. White, of course, is a symbol of purity, and in the case of a nurse, an appropriate and practical
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