Origin of Everything: Why Do We Wash Our Hands After Going to the Bathroom?
The video "Origin of Everything: Why Do We Wash Our Hands After Going to the Bathroom?" explores the evolution of hand-washing from ancient rituals to a pivotal hygiene practice. Highlighting figures like Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis, who first advocated hand hygiene in medical settings, it uncovers the resistance new scientific insights faced historically. The narrative connects religious practices—such as wudu in Islam and netilat yadayim in Judaism—to the eventual recognition of hand-washing in disease control, influenced by pivotal thinkers like Louis Pasteur and Florence Nightingale. Offering insights into public health education, it underscores the importance of understanding hygiene's role in preventing infection, emphasizing its relevance to societal health and wellbeing.
Media Details
Runtime: 7 minutes 50 seconds
- Topic: Biographies, Health and Safety, History, Science
- Subtopic: Diseases and Conditions, Hygiene, Pasteur, Louis, Washington, Booker T.
- Grade/Interest Level: 9 - 12
- Release Year: 2018
- Producer/Distributor: PBS Digital Studios
- Series: Origin of Everything
- Report a Problem
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