Tag: transmission of germs

I enjoy a bit of mould in my food,
in cheese, and yoghurt and other foodstuffs where it’s intended, but this
morning’s yoghurt is on the turn and I debate whether to surge ahead and eat it
or whether to chuck it in and start on a fresh tub. 

I have a cavalier attitude to mould
and germs and the like.  If there’s not
too much of it, fine, you can eat it. 
Same with germs. 

When I was growing up my mother
told us that it was fine for brothers and sisters to share the same cups and
plates and knives and forks because we carry the same germs.  With a crowd like this, what could you expect?  

I took my mother at her word and passed
on the same knowledge to my children who these days refuse to go along with my
mother’s simple logic. 

Just because we share the same
genetic material as in shared parents does not mean we carry the same
germs. 

We can infect one another with all
manner of illness if we’re not careful. 

The mould in my yoghurt sits on the
lid and has not yet infected the entire tub. I should be safe. The yoghurt is
not past its use by date.  The words on
the outside of the tub tell me so. 

Therefore, if I stick to my
principles and continue to eat, I should not get sick, food poisoning, gut
ache, salmonella or any other such contamination.

How easy it is to feel contaminated. 

Especially with those childhood
ailments, the tapeworms, the lice and the school sores. 

I’ve all but finished the tub of
yoghurt I started earlier this morning and my stomach is roiling. 

Have I taken in too many foreign
germs to keep me settled?