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Germs, germs everywhere. A large supply of U.S. bills has measurable traces of cocaine on it too. Just wash your hands after handling foreign objects if you are concerned. One should wash their hands when coming in from outside anyway, and your fine. If we worry about things like this we will all go nuts.
Two Belgian university professors recently decided to submit the 10 most borrowed books at the Antwerp library to bacteriology and toxicology tests.
Traces of cocaine were found on all 10 books. The traces were small enough that readers would not feel the effects, but significant enough that they could test positive for cocaine.
But the real case of life imitating art was revealed when the scientists discovered traces of the herpes virus in the pages of the erotic tale Fifty Shades of Grey.
In order to prevent a public panic, professors assured readers that the concentrations of the herpes virus were minimal and that the virus could not be contracted simply by touching the book.
They also suggested that books are for reading.
83% of the adult population of the US has oral herpes (herpes simplex). Perhaps they were drooling.
'What can we do that has never been done before?' our colleague Stijn Van de Voorde must have thought when he struggled to fill his programme. The programme maker then instructed two university professors to examine the ten most borrowed books at the Antwerp lending library. The findings were pretty surprising.
The experts are active in the fields of bacteriology and toxicology. Their findings are revealing.
All ten books including Dimitri Verhulst's Flemish bestseller 'De helaasheid der dingen' and Jommeke comic strips tested positive for cocaine.
Toxicologist Prof Jan Tytgat of the Catholic University of Leuven: "The levels found won't have a pharmacological effect. Your consciousness or behaviour won't change as a result of reading the tomes." However, people tested after reading the book would test positive for cocaine.
Prof Jan Tytgat: "Today's testing methods are so sensitive that traces of the drug originating from a contaminated book will be found in your hair, blood and urine."
Two books E.L. James 'Fifty Shades of Grey' and Pieter Aspe's 'Tango' showed traces of the herpes virus. The virus causes cold sores and may be transmitted via sexual activity.
Readers should not be alarmed. Concentrations of the virus found were so low that they do not pose a danger to our health."
Geesh you will test positive for cocaine after handling the book. In your hair, blood and urine.
They tested 10 books and 2 books,"Fifty Shades of Grey" and "Tango" tested for herpes.
Money is right up there with books for harboring all sort of nasty things. How often do you clan the inside of your wallet?
When is the last time people carried cash? I can't even remember when I have had a piece of money in my wallet, or my hand. I use my debit card, and don't have to touch filthy money.
I find this thread depressing. Do you have any idea how many books I handled without sanitary gloves on in my 28 years of working in the library?? Of course, I am an habitual hand washer. And I was just about to have another cup of coffee and a cookie. Time to wash my hands AGAIN!
We also did our best to sanitize our telephones, desks, chairs, computers, shelves and spent hours cleaning books. And everybody thought we just sat there and read all day. LOL.
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