Director, Emergency Services, Bikur Cholim Hospital
I have been asked to speak about food poisoning. Jewish
dietary laws obviously prevent a lot of diseases that are
found in shellfish and pork. Still, Israeli food standards
are not up to America's, and especially in the Arab sector.
Even buying fruit from them is a possibly dangerous
proposition.
There are certain risks for food poisoning. Of course meat
left outside is a danger and this can been found in schwarma
and hot dogs-frankfurters that are often sold in kiosks
revolving around on steel rollers. We have spoken in the past
of improper washroom facilities in yeshivas, schools and even
in simcha halls. Restroom facilities may be very
dirty, and a lack of disposable towels and soap is a
problem.
Industrialized food is also a problem. Sometimes oil is
recycled, as are leftovers. Israeli law by the way does not
allow for leftover food in hospitals to be reused.
I cannot give much advice other than avoiding places that
look seedy or not well kept. Try to sneak a look into the
kitchen or judge by the bathrooms. Should you be struck by
food poisoning, report it to the authorities if it involves a
lot of people eating at the same place. It is alright to take
anti-diarrhea medicine. It does not prolong the infection,
although it is not advised in salmonella infections. These
usually have high fever.
Avoid these problems at home by making as much of your own
food from scratch and always cooking food properly. I have
been told by one mashgiach that the factories that
make soy patties are immaculate.
From Kiryat Sefer they write that sticking fingers in a
socket from two different hands is a bad idea. While it can
be dangerous, it is not universally fatal as the writer
suggests. It is also a rare occurrence, as most curious
children only stick fingers from one hand. However, a doctor
should evaluate the patient. Write me in care of the
Yated.
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