Making Doorknobs Brass Could Stop The Spread Of Superbugs

[xchrom]

http://www.businessinsider.com/brass-fixtures-halt-spread-of-superbugs-2012-12



Brass door knobs, handles and handrails should be brought back into common use in public places to help combat superbugs, according to scientists.

Researchers have discovered that copper and alloys made from the metal, including brass, can prevent antibiotic resistance in bacteria from spreading.

Plastic and stainless steel surfaces, which are now widely used in hospitals and public settings, allow bacteria to survive and spread when people touch them.

Even if the bacteria die, DNA that gives them resistance to antibiotics can survive and be passed on to other bacteria on these surfaces. Copper and brass, however, can kill the bacteria and also destroy this DNA.


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/brass-fixtures-halt-spread-of-superbugs-2012-12#ixzz2G3nyzFM2

[Fridays Child]

1. k/r

[hobbit709]

2. Good thing all my doors have brass knobs on them.

[Warpy]

10. I'm looking at my fugly 80s Las Vegas brass fixtures in the bathroom

with newfound respect. They're probably why I'm not dead of sloppy housekeeping.

[Bossy Monkey]

3. Well, they have some kind of brass!

(rimshot)
Seriously, hope it's true, and hope it happens.

[Walk away]

4. There's your new job. Designing brass door knobs to go with modern doors!

Or some kind of brass door knob cover.

[dembotoz]

5. no shit

[TlalocW]

6. We all know...

That there will be some sort of conservative opposition to this.

TlalocW

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. Fascinating...n/t

[Celebration]

8. next trend

copper bracelets...........

oh, wait!

[BlancheSplanchnik]

9. WOW!

Fascinating!

It depends on administrators, though, who are interested in immediate dollar savings. Brass fixtures are expensive.

[Chemisse]

12. Maybe adopting a policy on brass doorknobs could kick hospitals up a notch in ratings.

That would help overcome the hesitance due to cost.

[spooky3]

11. A lot of brass fixtures have a protective coating.

I wonder if that would interfere with these beneficial effects.

[MrModerate]

13. Dang! Who woulda thunk it? n/t

[Odin2005]

14. I wonder of that is why door knobs were originally brass in the first place.

Of course they didn't know about pathogens back then, but somebody must have realized that disease was less common when door handles were made of brass.