Soap, water and common sense are the best disinfectants

William Osler said, ‘Soap, water and common sense are the best disinfectants.’ 

Mr. Osler was a great Canadian Physician. He was one of the four founding professors of Johns Hopkins Hospital. A man of many interests, he was named as the ‘Father of Modern Medicine’. Mr. Osler was one of the greatest diagnosticians who wielded his stethoscope. 

He often shared his insights on health, healing, and medical practice. About a century ago, this legend said, ‘Soap, water and common sense are the best disinfectants.’ This makes so much sense in the current scenario!

Ever since the outbreak of COVID-19, sanitisers have ruled the markets. But sanitisers are expensive and not skin-friendly. In fact, some researches also say that overuse of sanitisers can increase the chances of skin cancer.

Not to mention the cases of burns caused by sanitizers!

I often get thronged with the question, ‘Sir, what’s the best and safest disinfectant?’

And I answer, ‘Soap, water and common sense are the best, safest and cheapest disinfectants!’

Most people laughed it off, but if you give it a deep thought, you will realize that it’s true.

Here are a few real-life anecdotes, that I am sure, you too have witnessed!

Also Read: 10 safety tips to prevent coronavirus

Soap, water and common sense are the best disinfectants – Anecdotes

Check out these common anecdotes that prove that soap, water and common sense are the best disinfectants!

Soap does kill the germs!

Here’s how the conversations between two patients went – 

First patient – They give us soap and water as disinfectants. All the patients use the same soap. Now, don’t you think a COVID infected soap can be a super spreader of coronavirus?

Second patient – These hospitals are just money-making machines. The doctors don’t know anything and nobody cares! 

I was standing near them, waiting for a friend and I overheard their conversation.

Unable to resist, I responded, ’But, doesn’t soap kill all the germs?’

They looked at me quietly and then one of the patients said, ‘Ah! these are all lies!’

I smiled and walked away!

That’s when I recalled another of Osler’s famous quotes, ‘It’s more important to know what sort of a patient has a disease than what sort of a disease a patient has.’

Also Read: Can a bathing soap transmit infection?

Sanitisers taste bitter

A software engineer came to the clinic complaining of stomach ache. I asked him to share a brief history and this is what he said.

Patient – ‘Sir, it’s the sanitiser. I sanitize my hands before meals and all my food tastes bitter. I have been eating sanitiser for months now. That’s causing all these troubles. Corona has screwed us in several ways, sir.

I probed a bit more about his food habits and lifestyle. It was not the sanitizer but his eating habits causing trouble. Eating with sanitized hands causes no harm. But that does not mean ingesting sanitizer is not harmful.

Drinking even a small amount of hand sanitizer can cause alcohol poisoning in children. During the coronavirus pandemic, poison control centres have seen an increase in calls about accidental ingestion of hand sanitiser. 

Common sense is the best disinfectant

Since the first week of March government and doctors have advised avoiding mass gatherings. But even during the lockdown, people were hosting parties and attending marriages. Many of these public gatherings turned out to be hotspots for spreading coronavirus. 

Here are some of the most epic responses of people on the outbreak –

No one can win over death; it will come if it has to come. There is no point in lockdown and all. 

Nothing will happen if I visit my friend’s house. They are not sick.

It’s better to get infected with the virus and develop the antibody than to live like this. 

Do you remember when our Honourable Prime Minister asked us to beat thali as a voice against coronavirus? What did some Indians do? They all gathered in the streets and started a rally to beat coronavirus!

Since the first day, experts have been advising social distancing. 

Time and again, there are instances to prove that common sense is the best disinfectant in the current scenario!

Also Read: Wash your fruits and vegetables with Nutriwash?

Trust me Soap, water and common sense are the best disinfectants!

Don’t stroll the market every other day to buy sanitisers. Walking in the busy Indian bazaars is like walking in a jungle full of the virus. Neither you need to hoard the boxes of sanitisers at your home. Soap and water will do just fine!