Wellnews by Scott LaFee

Modern medical science is all about asking deep, probing, revealing questions. We might not have penicillin today if Dr. Florey hadn't asked, "What's this damn mold on my coat?" Or something to that effect.

Some questions of health and hygiene, however, are better left unasked. And yet, in the spirit of full disclosure (figuratively speaking), we present the results of a 20,000-person AOL poll seeking to answer the query: How dirty is the average American?

Question 1: How often do you wash or change your bedsheets?

Forty percent said once a week; 34 percent said every two weeks; 16 percent once a month; and 10 percent less than once a month.

Question 2: Do you re-wear underwear before washing?

Seventy-eight percent said never; 17 percent said once or twice; 4 percent said three to four times; and 1 percent said they wear their underwear more than five times before washing it.

Question 3: How often do you brush your teeth?

Twelve percent said more than twice a day; 41 percent said twice a day; 42 percent said at least once a day; and 5 percent said often a day goes by without brushing at all.

If you fall into any of the last categories for any of these questions, you should know that your mother is very, very unhappy with you. We're not too thrilled either.

GET ME THAT. STAT!

Giving critically ill hospital patients a daily bath with a mild, soapy, antibacterial solution used by surgeons to "scrub in" before an operation reduced by as much as 73 percent the number of patients who develop potentially deadly bloodstream infections, according to a study at Johns Hopkins Hospital and five other institutions.

NUMBER CRUNCHER

A single serving of potato skins with cheddar cheese and bacon (three pieces, 92.4 grams) contains 211 calories, 108 from fat.

It has 12 grams of total fat or 19 percent of the recommended total fat intake for a 2,000-calorie daily diet.

It also contains 25 milligrams of cholesterol (8 percent); 382 mg of sodium (16 percent); 19 grams of total carbohydrates (6 percent); 2 g of dietary fiber (8 percent); 1 g of sugar; and 8 g of protein.

OBSERVATION

All the things I really like to do are either immoral, illegal or fattening.

— American critic Alexander Woollcott (1887-1943)

MEDTRONICA

Everyday health

everydayhealth.com

This is one of the all-in-one websites, a kind of grocery store of health-related stuff, with sections devoted to basic details on common diseases and ailments, expert advice, a drug guide, news and recipes. It can seem a bit much, but a little poking around turns up lots of useful information.

STORIES FOR THE WAITING ROOM

A Northwestern University mouse study showed rodents that ate when they should have been sleeping gained more weight than rodents who ate at normal, waking hours. Researchers suggest the midnight munching disrupts metabolism and the hormones that signal satiety. They say these findings are likely true of humans, too.

PHOBIA OF THE WEEK

Ochlophobia — fear of crowds or mobs

CURTAIN CALLS

During a live radio debate in 1943, author-critic-radio personality Alexander Woollcott suffered a fatal heart attack. Unaware that anything was wrong, hundreds of listeners called in to complain that Woollcott, famous for his vociferous wit, was being disappointingly quiet.

To find out more about Scott LaFee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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