Handwashing Makes a Difference Hand washing has been advocated as early as 1843, when Dr. Oliver Wendall Holmes supported that hand washing was needed to prevent childbed fever (puerperal sepsis). He believed that the disease was being passed from patient to patient by the hands of doctors. Likewise, in the late 1840’s Ignaz Semmelweis believed this to be true and postulated that if doctors and medical students were to wash their hands with a chlorinated solution, mortality rates would drop. (Christine L. Case, Access Excellence) Washing your hands with soap and warm water reduces the number of bacteria in two ways: chemically and physically. Hand washing reduces the number of bacteria chemically by the use of soaps. Most soaps act to dissolve and/or remove oils/fats, soil, proteins, and loose skin cells that hold bacteria suspended on or attached to the hands. As an example I am going to use Irish Spring and its active ingredient Triclocarban. Triclocarban is not easily water soluble, but is fat-soluble and easily crosses cell membranes. Once inside it poisons a specific enzyme that many bacteria and fungi need for survival. Specifically it blocks the active site of an enzyme called enoyl-acyl carrier-protein reductase(ENR), preventing the bacteria from making the fatty acids needed for building a cell membrane and other vital functions.(Fred Senese, General Chemistry Online) Also, since humans do not have this enzyme it is completely harmless to us. The physical movement of washing your hands dislodges and washes away the loosened bacteria down the drain. It is better to use warm water for this because it softens the fats and oils allowing easier removal. The correct way to wash your hands is as follows: First, wet your hands with warm water and use a bar of soap to work up a lather. Rub your hands