Re: Newbie loves being a geek...


"Herman Family" <ecalptsudwaseht.in.reverse@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
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"Dave" <db5151@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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We rescued a dog from the streets a couple days ago, and then found out
it has the type of Mange that can infect people. Wife is totally
paranoid, having grown up hearing tales of people getting scabies (which
is what this type of Mange causes in people) from public washaterias and
playing hell getting rid of it. The Vet says it's no big deal, she and
everyone else there (at the Vet's place of work) has had it, and it is
easy to get rid of. Wife is still totally paranoid (and I can't blame
her.) The vet says to just wash our hands and arms with hot water and
soap, and the same with our clothes if they come in contact with the dog.
K says that you can wash your clothes in the hottest water available, and
still catch Scabies from a public washateria. Enter Dave, the geek. Did
some research on the 'net and found out that Mange and Scabies are both
caused by mites that burrow under the skin and lay eggs. Only the mites
you get from dogs with Mange are different from the mites you get from
another person who has Scabies (even though they call both types
"Scabies", they are caused by different species of mites.) The ones that
live on dogs don't do well on us, and die out before too long. So long
as you don't get reinfected by more mites from the dog, you are clear.
And those mites cannot survive for long in water that is 125.6 degrees
faranheit (sp?). But there is another complication... At a washateria,
you put your clothes in and take them out of the washer, likely touching
the rim of the basket, which never sees hot water. And in so doing you
can pick up mites, depositing them on your freshly washed clothes. And
the type of mites that live well on people are not so easy to get rid of.
They can survive longer without a host then the type that come from dogs.
Bottom line, it's a different story if you get your mites from a public
washateria. What we have is a dog with Mange, and that is all we have to
worry about.

Finding this information, I dug out my old chemistry set, and found my
handy-dandy thermometer. Then I got out my old chemistry book, and
calculated how hot in degrees celsius (which is what my thermometer
measures) 125 degrees faranheit is. Since I want to be sure, I decided
to go with 130 degree water, which is 55 degrees celsius. Out to the
utility room, I turn up the thermostat on the hot water heater. Before
it had time to heat up, I measured the temp of the water coming out of
the kitchen faucet. 50 degrees celsius, which works out to something
like 120 degrees faranheit. Okay. While I write this, the water is
heating back up, to the higher temperature I set the thermostat too.
When wife wakes up (she's taking a nap) I will explain, and show her how
hot the water is in the kitchen. The utility room and the washer are
closer to the hot water heater, which means less pipe to go through and
less heat to be lost. In the end I decided to make it 140 degrees
faranheit, just for the sake of thoroughness. This will compensate for
the fact that the water will cool some while the basket fills and
agitates. All I need is ten minutes in 126 degree (faranheit) water,
which should not be a problem. Plan to fill the washer and test it after
ten and fifteen minutes, just to make sure. Ha ha. I love being a geek.

Dave


Be very careful with this hot water. It's great stuff for getting rid of
the mites, but it will also do a number on skin. 140 degree water can
give you some pretty good burns. There is a good reason the water heaters
are set at the lower temperature.

It might be better to find some other alternative than hot water if there
is a chance others will be in your house.

Michael


Oh yes, definetly. But thank you for the considerations and warning. Found
out it takes about 24 hours for the water heater to cool back down to
"normal." Stayed on top of it, though, so no real problems. Verrrrry
careful with hot liquids. The specific heat of water is so high, I treat it
with great respect. Almost like hot fat. Maybe the same way, even.

Dave


.

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