3 second rule.

I was thinking today about the 3 second rule as applied to dropped food. If you pick it up within 3 seconds the germs don't have time to latch on, so it's fine to eat. I agree with this generally, I think we've gotten too finickity about food, there's been a huge increase in people being allergic to stuff, which I am sure is mostly a fashion statement.

But I do wonder where it came from. It's hard to imagine people of a more genteel age buying into this. Perhaps rationing started it off. I can imagine the brave struggling housewife of the 40's,

"Oh look mother, this chop's fallen on the floor, I'll throw it away shall I?"
"Oh no, Timmy that's alright... actually it's the last one, if we threw it away, father would have to go without."
"Mummy, are we... are we poor?"
"Goodness no Timmy! It's just that thanks to that beastly Mr. Hitler, there's not enough food to go round."
"He certainly is a rotter isn't he mummy?"
"Yes. But don't worry the chop will be fine."
"But it's filthy mummy, it's got all bits on it. We shall catch nasty diseases."
"No, it's alright if you pick it up nice and quick."

Later when father returns,

"Oh, how I hate lying to them so, watching them eat that beastly germ ridden filth!"
"We have to, just like when we tell them sleeping in the air raid shelter is playing at Eskimos."

A sense of proportion is need. A few bugs never did anyone any harm. Learn from the woman who rang the US poisons advice beuro when her daughter was sitting in the garden eating ants. 'No they won't do any harm' said the adviser. 'Oh good' said the mother, 'I gave her some ant killer just in case.'

If it's good enough for Mogli, it's good enough for anyone.

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