>
>While I am not sure exactly where I stand on this
>issue, as I have been thinking about it for only a
>short time, I do know that (at least in the States),
>we are definite germophobes.  Almost every soap,
>cleanser, etc... is supposed to kill 99.99% of the
>germs or is antibacterial or antifungal... you get the
>picture.  There are now waterless hand cleaners that
>will kill germs you come in contact with when there
>isn't a convenient bathroom around to wash up in.  I
>can't help but think that we have gone overboard in
>this respect...

Big companies make big money out of these "cleaners" but the chemicals in
them are certainly more harmful to us than the purported "germs" they
supposedly "kill"