Community Magazine June 2016

MEDICINE has the answers to ALL your questions... Professor Noe Ital This Month's Topic: What is the best way to fight bad germs? The best way to fight bad germs is to wash your hands often with soap and warm water. But you need to be a good hand washer to help protect yourself from bad germs. When you wash your hands, first wet them with warm water. Then apply soap and form a lather by rubbing your hands together. Do this for about fifteen to twenty seconds, or about the time it takes to sing the Alef-Beit. Make sure to scrub in between your fingers and underneath your nails, as bad germs like to hide in these places. Rinse your hands well with warm water, and then dry them with a clean towel. Ear infections are one of the most common illnesses in babies and young children. While there are different types of ear infections, the most common is called a middle-ear infection. Between the middle ear and the back of the throat is a tube called the Eustachian tube. One of its functions is to drain fluids away from the middle ear. If the Eustachian tube becomes blocked, fluid can build up, which leads to infection. Although adults can get middle-ear infections too, children get them much more often. One reason is that a child’s Eustachian tube is shorter and straighter than that of an adult, which makes it easier for bacteria and viruses to penetrate. Another reason is that children get colds more often than adults. Colds may cause the Eustachian tube to become swollen or blocked, which allows more fluids to build up. QUESTION OF THE MONTH: The ear is divided into 3 parts: outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear.An infection of the outer ear, which is often brought on by having water trapped there, is called otitis externa, also known as “swimmers ear.” This month’s question was submitted by Gary of Deal, NJ. Q: Dear Professor,What is “swimmer’s ear”? A: Why is a cold called “The common cold”? Why do children get ear infections more often than adults? Excerpts from “Exploring the Wisdom & Wonders of the Universe with Professor Noe Ital", by Efraim Harari, published by Israel Bookshop Publications. Available for purchase online and at all fine Judaica stores . Professor Noe Ital [AKA: Know-it-all] The cold became known as “the common cold” because it is the most frequent infectious disease among people. There are over one billion colds in the United States each year! On average, an adult will get a cold two to three times a year, while a child will catch it between six and twelve time a year. Colds are the most common reason for children to miss school and adults to miss work. 90 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE