Out and About – Week of August 31st

I’ve written on this topic more than once, but the situation is getting worse, so I must vent a bit once more. I’m sure there are many of you who feel the same as I do about television viewing. To unwind and be entertained, our television is turned on for about six hours a day. I’ve done a bit of research and for every half-hour of a typical program, ten minutes are devoted to commercials. Even the evening news has ten minutes of ads for every half-hour of news. Now, these commercial breaks are flooded with political ads. I’ve found the best cure for this is the “Mute” button.

Labor Day is about a week away, so we still have plenty of time to enjoy the waterways here in Michigan. With the recent hot weather we’ve been having, folks are spending more time on and in the water. I’ve never been plagued with Schistosome dermatitis, better known as swimmers’ itch, but then I’m more on the water than in it. For those interested, here are some facts and even a cure for this free-swimming larvae. Hopefully, this will not deter you from going back into the water.

Swimmers’ itch is caused by tiny cercariae, a larvae about 1/32 of an inch long which penetrates into the skin of a human. These are an intermediate stage in the life cycle of blood flukes. Cercariae are able to penetrate into the skin ten to thirty minutes after contact if the exposed area is continuously immersed. If water containing cercariae is allowed to evaporate on the body, the time is shorter.

Cercariae are delicate little animals. They will dry up and die almost immediately when deprived of water. They will also be crushed when pressure is applied to them. Briskly rubbing the body dry with a towel immediately after emerging from the water is an effective means of minimizing penetration. Snails are primarily responsible for contributing to swimmers’ itch, so it is advisable to stay clear of swimming muddy and weedy areas.

If you are a fan of the writings of Mark Twain, you’ll appreciate these two quotes, both of which make a lot of sense:

“It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctively native

American criminal class except Congress.”

“Civilization is a limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities.”

We still have a few weeks of lawn mowing ahead of us before we put our mowers away for the winter and get out the snow removal equipment. Some advice from the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society. It seems that there are more than 55,000 people hurt each year because of carelessness with power lawn mowers. Most injuries are to the foot, resulting in the loss of toes or parts of feet. Here are some tips on how to keep your feet clear of mower blades:

Never mow when the grass is damp and slippery.
Be careful when mowing on a slope.
Keep children far away from mowers. One in every six mower injuries is to a young child.
Wear hard shoes and never go barefoot while mowing grass.
“If eyes were made for seeing, then beauty is its own excuse for being.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

See you Out and About!

Submitted by Norm Stutesman