Public health achievements that we enjoy include : vaccinations that reduce infectious diseases ; the control of infectious diseases ; food safety ; improvements in maternal and child health ; declines in death from cardiovascular disease ; safe family planning ; reduced dental cavities due to fluoridation of drinking water ’ less illness due to lower tobacco use ; improved motor vehicle safety ; and safer workplaces .”
Increased handwashing contributed to the public health successes of the 20th century , especially in the control of infectious diseases , improvements in maternal and child health and food safety .”
1867 , Joseph Lister published findings that surgeons who washed their hands with antiseptic carbolic acid had patients with fewer infections after surgery .
As the new germ theory took hold , handwashing became a cause célèbre . Wash basins and ewers became common in the bedrooms of most homes ; houses built in the 1890s had sinks with plumbing in every bedroom and indoor bathrooms . In one very old restaurant in Kona , Hawaii , there still is a wash basin for people to use before entering the dining room . Lifebuoy , a carbolic soap , was introduced by Lever Brothers in 1894 in Victorian England to combat cholera , advertising its soap with a picture of a sailor rescued by a life buoy and the slogans “ For Saving Life ” and “ Ending Infections .” Nurses stationed in public schools taught children to wash their hands before meals . Fear of germ contamination generated a law to prohibit food handlers from touching money , which was known to be dirty . Even books in the public library were thought by some to be possibly contaminated because of their use by many people .
Unfortunately , Semmelweis was dead for 20 years before his findings on handwashing gained acceptance .
The Development of Public Health Increased handwashing contributed to the public health successes of the 20th century , especially in the control of infectious diseases , improvements in maternal and child health and food safety . Public health regulations today assure us that health facilities , supermarkets and restaurants are inspected regularly and are clean . Public health achievements that we enjoy include : vaccinations that reduce infectious diseases ; the control of infectious diseases ; food safety ; improvements in maternal and child health ; declines in death from cardiovascular disease ; safe family planning ; reduced dental cavities due to fluoridation of drinking water ’ less illness due to lower tobacco use ; improved motor vehicle safety ; and safer workplaces .
Public health successes have increased our life expectancy from about age 40 in 1850 to age 78 in 2020 . Infant mortality rates have declined from 181.3 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1900 to 5.4 in 2021 .
In the U . S ., workers and consumers are protected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ( OSHA ); it requires food handlers , farm workers , construction workers and others who handle potentially infectious or dangerous products to have facilities available to wash their hands before , after and during work and food preparation . For example , OSHA requires that “ The employer shall provide adequate washing facilities for employees engaged in the application of paints , coating , herbicides , or insecticides .”
Dr . Myriam Sidibe of Mali , Africa , founded International Handwashing Day , on October 15 . She partnered with organizations such as UNICEF , the World Bank , Oxfam , and USAID to educate people about the importance of handwashing , as washing with soap and water saves lives . She notes that in poor countries , handwashing with soap protects against pandemic flu , SARS , trachoma and parasitic worm infections . Handwashing keeps children in school and reduces infections of mothers and babies during delivery and postnatal care . Handwashing by parents and midwives prevents infant mortality . She recently gave a TED talk on how washing with soap prevents childhood diseases ( accessible at : https :// www . ted . com / talks / myriam _ sidibe _ the _ simple _ power _ of _ hand _ washing )
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) lists times that hands should be washed :
● Before , during , and after preparing food
● Before eating food
● After using the toilet
● After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
● After blowing your nose , coughing , or sneezing
● Before and after caring for someone who is sick
● Before and after treating a cut or wound
● After touching an animal , animal feed , or animal waste
● After handling pet food or pet treats
● After touching garbage
By washing our hands with soap , we can prevent the spread of diseases and infections and live longer and healthier lives . Soap up , everyone !
Margot Smith , DrPH , is a retired social scientist with a doctorate in public health from UC Berkeley . After working in research for the California State Health Department , she produced documentaries shown on PBS and in film festivals , now available on YouTube . In retirement , she is an activist for social causes and continues to write . Her publications may be found at Researchgate . com .
www . healthcarehygienemagazine . com • july 2022
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