Skip to main content

Back to brass vessels to beat diseases

I still remember during my days as a kid, we used to store pottable drinking water in brass pots - infact most of the households used to store drinking water in metal pots; specifically made of brass or copper. Also pots made of these metal alloys were cheap. At that time nobody analysed why we used vessels made of these metal alloys and most took it as common practice. But over the years, the brass and copper utensils were replaced with more economical steel and plastic utensils as these materials became widely prevalent.
Now an international study has suggested that the use of brass vessels to store drinking water could help combat diseases such as diarrhoea, typhoid, jaundice and dysentery. A report published in the Nature said, the vessels could prove specially useful in the developing countries where people view plastic containers as better and cheaper options to store drinking water.
The scientists found that the bacteria were less likely to thrive in brass water pots than in earthen or plastic containers. To prove it, the scientists filled brass and earthen vessels with a diluted culture of Escherichia coli bacteria, which can cause diseases such as dysentery. They counted the surviving bacteria after 6 hrs, 24 hrs and 48 hrs. A similar test was carried out using naturally contaminated water. The amount of live E.coli in the brass vessels dropped dramatically over time, and after 48 hrs, they fell to undetectable levels.
This study has reinforced the traditional Indian wisdom that brass water containers offer some protection against sickness. The key element is copper which acts by interfering with the membranes and enzymes of cells, eventually killing the bacteria. Pots made of brass - an alloy of copper and zinc shed copper particles into the water they contain.
Courtesy : The Hindu

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Five remedies to cure Homesickness

I came across this article in msnbc.msn.com written by John Frenaye which according to him are the five steps needed to cure homesickness. In a nutshell, these are the things he recommend for tackling effectively the issue of homesickness when away from home. Bring a piece of home with you . Nothing eases homesickness than a few mementos of your home and loved ones. Bring small photographs in a folding frame for your nightstand— your kids, wife, girlfriend, or loyal pooch. Do you have any young kids? Bring a recent piece of “art.” Does your wife or girlfriend wear a perfume that you love — bring along a sachet that will remind you of her. Stay in touch . Keeping in touch keeps home close to you and you close to home. There are ways to work around a time difference, but it is important to be sure to keep in touch with your home base — not your office, your home base. Be sure you know that Jimmy won his soccer game, and that your wife had the day from hell, and that Susie has t

Green Gram - The Popular Healthy Sprout

During my younger days, my mother used to feed me dishes which had green gram as a major ingredient. She used to say that eating these food kept one healthy and resistant to common ailments. I would have appreciated what she told, much better, if I was aware of the health giving qualities of this wonderful pulse which formed an essential ingredient in all her dishes. Green gram arose in North-eastern India and there is a long history of its use throughout Asia. Its popularity stems not just from its medicinal and nutritional properties, but also from its adaptability to drought conditions and inferior soils. The nitrogen fixing bacteria in the plant's root help replenish the nitrogen content of the soil, which makes it a valuable inter-crop in rice and sugar cane cultivation. Nutritional value of Green Gram (Per 100 grams) Energy : 30 calories Protein : 3 grams Carbohydrate : 6 grams Dietary Fiber : 2 grams Health benefits Unlike other pulses, green gra

Is there really a GOD ? Read this to find out.

This is a hilarious account of the conversation that a professor of philosophy has with his students. The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand. "You're a Believer, aren't you, son?" "Yes, sir." "So you believe in God?" "Absolutely." "Is God good?" "Sure! God's good." "Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?" "Yes." "Are you good or evil?" "The Book says I'm evil." The professor grins knowingly. "Ahh! THE BOOK!" He considers for a moment. "Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?" "Yes sir, I would." "So you're good...!" "I wouldn't say that." "Why not say that? You would help a sick and maimed person if you could...in fact most of us would