tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15350975.post8721111426633056634..comments2024-03-27T09:08:50.883-07:00Comments on Bad Mom, Good Mom: More biological experimentsbadmomgoodmomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569728075698885020noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15350975.post-82078912350817041102009-07-20T10:14:58.386-07:002009-07-20T10:14:58.386-07:00Well, since you asked...
I remember when the coca...Well, since you asked...<br /><br />I remember when the cocaine study came out. As you say, it is an interesting example of using unusual techniques to try to get a good estimate of drug use in a community. I wouldn't worry about the amount of cocaine the average person drinking that water ingests, though- it is way below active amounts.<br /><br />I also remember when some of the research about pharmaceuticals in our water came out. They make their way into our water supply not just because they are excreted, but also because for years people were told to flush unused pills down the toilet. Now we're supposed to "foul" the unused pills with dirt, ashes, or salt, seal the container, put it in two plastic bags, and then throw it away. I doubt most people go to the trouble, particularly since I had to search pretty hard to find those instructions earlier this year, when I decided that it was time to clean out my medicine cabinet.<br /><br />Another source of chemicals in our water supply is the shampoos, body washes, etc that we all use. <br /><br />I'm not sure which source would worry me most- there are probably higher levels of the chemicals from shampoos, but the drugs are designed to be bioactive at relatively low concentrations. I don't actually worry much about either, because the amounts found are generally pretty low- below the level of activity. <br /><br />If I were feeding a baby formula, though, I'd probably use filtered water. The dose of a chemical required for activity is highly dependent on body weight, and babies go through a lot of formula.<br /><br />We routinely drink filtered water anyway, because I don't like the taste of my city water when it is unfiltered. A cheap carbon filter (like the kind you put in one of those "water purification" pitchers you can buy) should trap a lot of these things- they are all organic chemicals (in that they are all carbon-based), so should adsorb pretty well on the filters.<br /><br />I had to laugh about the cussing in the car bit. I have been trying not to swear when driving, but I do still occasionally complain about the behavior of another driver. When I do, I now hear a worried little voice from the back seat: "what happen to you, Mommy?" That is Pumpkin's universal question if she senses anyone is upset or hurt. Or if you fall asleep while telling her a story at bedtime.Cloudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09317847285050447789noreply@blogger.com