PRIVY DIG HEALTH HAZARD

[pjritter]

I have heard that bacteria was found in sealed egytian tombs.

 

[VTdigger]

is there any resource for chemicals or diseases you could be exposed to from digging? Because I know these dumps must have some pretty nasty stuff in them.

I'm not worried just curious I always wear gloves and wash up real good after a dig and never eat while on a dig. I haven't got a tetanus shot yet, I probably should, because I intend to dig the heck out of 2012 and have been cut real good a few times even with gloves, though it's mostly because I have to check something out before gloves go on and that turns out to be a slicer.

 

[cyberdigger]

I have never dug a privy, but I've used one.. seems to me the world's nicest, finest things did not always go into them.
..in fact, I'd suspect all kinds of really icky, yucky, get-it-out-of-here nastiness ended up down there.. I don't want to scare anyone, but these thoughts invade my conscience like a recurring dream.. I also wear latex gloves when I touch the door at the Wawa.. [8D]

 

[Jim]

I'm always cautious not to breathe any type of dust if I can avoid it. In addition to bacteria and fungi, there are all kinds of nasty non-organic dust-borne particles that will refuse to leave once they get into your lungs. Being a mechanic by trade, asbestos in brake dust comes to mind.

The pits and dumps around here are all at least damp and usually wet now from all the rain we have had recently. Dust isn't much of a problem now, but I make it a point to avoid breathing it when digging in dry soil and especially dry ash. A trip to the hospital with messed-up lungs is not on my list of things I want to get out of digging [:'(] ~Jim

 

[pjritter]

sometimes i dont shower after a wet mucky privy dig. i like the smell and feeling to last as long as possible before someone complains too much.

 

[hunter2000]

I haven't got a tetanus shot yet, I probably should

If you really plan to dig as much as you say then you will get injured at some point most likley. Glove or not
Vtdigger do yourself a favor and get the shot.
I belive tetanus will give you lock jaw.
I have had 15 or more over the years they always told me at the hospital if your not sure when your last one was you need one.
Get it.

 

[Gromit0299]

ORIGINAL: hunter2000

I haven't got a tetanus shot yet, I probably should

If you really plan to dig as much as you say then you will get injured at some point most likley. Glove or not
Vtdigger do yourself a favor and get the shot.
I belive tetanus will give you lock jaw.
I have had 15 or more over the years they always told me at the hospital if your not sure when your last one was you need one.
Get it.

I'm not going to open the can o' worms here regarding vaccines. It's not the place, but I'm not vaccinated against tetnaus. I can't remember the last time I WAS vaccinated against tetnaus. A wee tyke maybe? Before it was a combo vaccine? In any case, I watched my son have a bad reaction to the new fangled DTaP vaccine (bad enough that I refused it in the hospital when my daughter was born), so I'm not rushing to get one. I think that gloves, and a mask will suffice for me. I've actually gotten sliced quite a few times on rusty things, and I'm very cognizant of carrying a good first aid kit, including not only peroxide and alcohol, but this stuff they use in hospitals called hibiclens. Never ended up with lock jaw.

BUT! No one wants to end up in the hospital with any sort of privy borne disease, so I agree with taking as much precaution as possible.

Hard to believe that those diseases would live for a hundred or so years, you know?

 

[baltbottles]

The real question is was the fungus contracted from the first couple feet of the privies or from the use layer? If it was from the first couple feet then I would say that privy digging is no more dangerous then just planting a garden or digging a small hole in your yard. If it could be proven that it was contracted from the use layer then I would say its something to be weary of.

Chris

 

[surfaceone]

Hey Doug,

Histoplasmosis sounds bad. Thanks for bringing this to the fore. I don't want any...

From.

 

[Wheelah23]

I read this, which I find pretty startling...

"H. capsulatum grows in soil and material contaminated with bird or bat droppings (guano). The fungus has been found in poultry house litter, caves, areas harboring bats, and in bird roosts (particularly those of starlings)."

DROPPINGS... Got plenty of those in privies. I would think in very dry areas where the crap still lingers, this fungus might indeed exist... Privies around here aren't ever dry, so I'll try not to worry.