The operating room of a hospital is one of the cleanest places on the planet — or should be. Patients here are often at their most vulnerable to infection, and medical institutions take great precautions, large and small, to minimize exposure to harmful pathogens that might be lurking.

The operating room of a hospital is also a scary place, especially for young patients, who might insist upon bringing a friend, such as a cherished stuff animal, for comfort and support.

It might be better if the little buddies remained in the waiting room.

Vanderbilt University researchers swabbed stuff animals that pediatric patients had brought into operating rooms and then quantified bacterial growth on them. All of the stuffed animals tested showed microbial hangers-on.

That doesn't prove stuffed animals cause "surgical-site infections," but it's worth keeping in mind. There's also a pretty good remedy: Researchers found that a single wash-and-dry cycle in a household washer and dryer followed by sealing the stuffed animal in a plastic bag for 24 hours effectively "sterilized" 79 percent of the items tested.

Body of Knowledge

Fingernails grow at 0.02 inch per week, four times faster than toenails. This translates to 0.0028 inch per day or 0.000119 inch per hour. The middle fingernail grows fastest; the thumbnail grows the most slowly.

Life in Big Macs

One hour of sitting quietly burns 68 calories (based on a 150-pound person), or the equivalent of 0.1 Big Mac.

Stories for the Waiting Room

Up until 2012, Starbucks used cochineal extract as red food coloring in six menu items. Think strawberry and creme Frappuccino. The extract is made from crushed cochineal beetles subsequently boiled in ammonia.

Cochineal as a food coloring has been around for centuries. It's also still around. The coloring can still be found in pork sausage, pies, candies, pills, jams, lipstick and maraschino cherries.

Doc Talk

Distal pulse: the pulse farthest from the heart.

Phobia of the Week

Mavritypophobia: fear of black holes. (Recommended treatment: Give the patient some space.)

Never Say Diet

The Major League Eating record for reindeer sausage is 28 in 10 minutes, held by Dale Boone. Oddly, besides Rudolph, only seven of Santa's team were in attendance.

Best Medicine

Sam visits his doctor for his annual physical.

"Everything looks good," declares Sam's doctor. "You're doing OK for your age."

"Well, I'm 75," Sam says. "I want to know if I'll make 80."

"Well," replies the doctor, "do you drink or smoke?"

"No," says Sam.

"Do you eat fatty meats or sweets?"

"No."

"What about activities? Do you engage in thrilling behaviors like racing cars or skiing?"

"Absolutely not," says Sam. "I would never engage in dangerously thrilling activities."

"In that case," the doctor says, "why would you want to live to be 80?"

Observation

"Neurotic means he is not as sensible as I am, and psychotic means he's even worse than my brother-in-law." — American psychiatrist Karl Menninger (1893-1990)

Medical History

This week in 1981, an epidemic disease was briefly described by Dr. Michael Gottlieb in the newsletter of the Centers for Disease Control. This was the first notice to be published on AIDS, though it had not yet been given that name. Gottlieb was in his first research position as an assistant professor of medicine at UCLA.

Last Words

"I haven't had Champagne for a long time." — Russian playwright Anton Chekhov (1860-1904). His doctor gave him Champagne after all attempts to ease his tuberculosis symptoms had failed.

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.