In message , David in
Normandy writes
On 03/09/2010 15:49, Ian B wrote:

Of course it's always advisable to avoid getting a cut dirty. There are lots
of diseases that like to make their way into the body via a dirty wound.
Legionella isn't one of them.


Interesting. I did wonder if it was an over-reaction by what is
becoming an overly elfin safety conscious society. I am surprised so
many gardeners wear gloves though to handle compost. It sounds like it
may be a wise thing to do?

Last year I ended up with a fungal infection on both knees - I think it
was due to kneeling on the bare soil while planting seedlings and
wearing shorts. It took three months to get rid of the infection with
anti-fungal creams - it was damn persistent. I guess the abrasion of
the soil on the bare skin was enough to introduce the spores under the
skin, especially while putting weight on my knees.

I've just been kneeling and planting more seedlings today, but kept
stout jeans on despite the heat. My back just won't take stooping for
long nowadays.

I wonder if you suffer from dry skin? When I had an itchy spot on my
shin which would scab over when I scratched it, my GP called it Ringworm
and gave me some Trimovate cream. I used this for many months,
stopping when it cleared up, only for it to reappear.

After insisting on a second opinion, the GP referred me to a skin
specialist who snorted at "Ringworm", said that it was eczema, took a
scraping to be tested and prescribed Trimovate, but more importantly
Acqueous Cream, a bland moisturiser, and told me to use it on my shins.
This cured the problem permanently.

The skin is a good defence, but not when it is dry and cracked.
--
Gordon H
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