Klarinet Archive - Posting 000256.txt from 2001/10
From: "Diane Karius" <Dkarius@-----.edu>
Subj: RE: [kl] strep throat and the clarinet
Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2001 17:05:13 -0400
>>> LacyS@-----.org 10/09/01 02:49PM >>>
> . . . but does lemon juice disinfect?
Not really, although its acid pH will slow down the growth of certain =
kinds of microbes (but not all and I don't know if strep. is one of =
them).=20
According to my microbiologist friends, depressingly few of the things =
suggested/sold as antiseptics will do the trick (and none are 100%). =
Word of warning though: microbiologists are strange people - things that =
normal, non-microbiologist humans accept drive microbiologists up the =
wall, so their idea of "doing the trick" is probably far more rigorous =
than the rest of us feel the need for (apparently there is some truth to =
"ignorance is bliss"). =20
Things they tell me will make the difference amount to basic mouthpiece =
hygiene: =20
1. Alchohol and peroxide are okay - but a lot of bacteria have enzymes =
which inactivate the peroxide. The microbioloigists here felt that =
washing it out with soap and water was as good (you're not killing the =
bacteria with the water, even if you make it as hot as you can stand - =
you're mechanically washing away the beasties). =20
2. Most important according to the microbiologists: Make sure the =
mouthpiece is DRY when you put it away. Ditto for reeds. Most bacteria =
like moistness. Although there are some microbes that handle dry =
conditions just fine, bacteria generally don't fall into that group. =20
The microbiologists strongly voted for autoclaving the mouthpieces. It =
did not seem to matter that this would destroy the mouthpieces (as I said, =
microbiologists are a little strange). =20
Diane R. Karius, Ph.D.=20
Department of Physiology
University of Health Sciences
1750 Independence Ave.=20
Kansas City, MO 64106
(816)-283-2219
dkarius@-----.edu
http://courses.uhs.edu/physio/index.htm
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