Public Health

There’s more to developing drug resistant bacteria than simply taking antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem worldwide that needs to be addressed on multiple fronts including human and veterinary medicine. Research recently concluded in Ecuador suggests that environment and social context may play a major role in the development and spread of antibiotic drug... Read More »

In Scotland’s St. Giles Cathedral, there hangs a peculiar plaque praising the discovery of the anesthetic properties of the chemical compound chloroform. Scottish obstetrician Dr. James Simpson is widely credited with this 1847 medical milestone. Chloroform, a simple compound consisting of carbon, chlorine and hydrogen, has more recently been in the news as a byproduct... Read More »

The public bathroom scene is changing.  Increasingly, manual faucets and soap dispensers are being replaced by hands-free electronic eye faucets that conserve water and need only sense a pair of hands to start running water of a perfect temperature. This is a positive development because those who wash their hands don’t have to touch the... Read More »

It’s no secret that hand washing is critically important to reducing the transmission of pathogens.  We in the healthcare profession strive to remain vigilant about hand washing and we advise our patients to do the same, especially before and after handling food, using the bathroom, or when we or others are in contact with sick... Read More »

A guest blog written by Nancy Bock, American Cleaning Institute® Frequent and proper hand hygiene can stop germs and illness in their tracks.  Why are clean hands important?  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the single most important thing we can do to keep from getting sick and spreading illness to others... Read More »

According to a recent article in Medical News Today, tattooing and body piercing are becoming increasingly popular, but these procedures can increase the risk of contracting a number of serious blood-borne diseases. A 2001 survey published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that 51 percent of college students had piercings and 23 percent had... Read More »