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Many kinds of infections, as well as worm eggs, are passed from one person to
another in the way just shown.
If the family had taken any of the following precautions, the spread of the
sickness could have been prevented:
• if the man had used a latrine or out-house,
• if the family had not let the pigs come into the house,
• if they had not let the child play where the pig had been,
• if the mother had washed her hands after touching the child and before
preparing food.
If there are many cases of diarrhea, worms, and other intestinal parasites in
your village, people are not being careful enough about cleanliness. If many
children die from diarrhea, it is likely that poor nutrition is also part of the problem.
To prevent death from diarrhea, both cleanliness and good nutrition are
important (see p. 154 and Chapter 11).
BASIC GUIDELINES OF CLEANLINESS
Personal Cleanliness (Hygiene)
1. Always wash your hands
with soap when you
get up in the morning,
after having a bowel
movement, and before
cooking or eating.
2. Bathe often every day when the weather is hot. Bathe
after working hard or sweating. Frequent bathing helps
prevent skin infections, dandruff, pimples, itching, and
rashes. Sick persons, including babies, should be
bathed daily.
3. In areas where hookworm is common, do not go
barefoot or allow children to do so. Hookworm
infection causes severe anemia. These worms enter
the body through the soles of the feet (see p. 142).
4. Brush your teeth every day and after each
time you eat sweets. If you do not have a
toothbrush and toothpaste, rub your teeth
with salt and baking soda (see p. 230). For
more information about the care of teeth,
see Chapter 17.