Toilet, A Necessity

Stool is composed of bacteria, dietary residues, water and other chemicals. Bacteria residing normally in the intestine are lactobacilli, Escherichia Coli and streptococci are called commensals. Lactobacilli are protective to the gut. When foreign pathologic bacteria, parasites and viruses invade our digestive system, able to overpower our defense mechanism, colonize in the gut to cause the diseases. Several disease causing bacteria and other parasites enter our body through feco-oral route. Those may cause either intestinal diseases or diseases of other systems. Some microbes listed below cause diseases mentioned against their names are transmitted through feco-oral route.
Salmonella –Typhoid Fever,
Escherichia Coli-Dysentery,
Shigella –Dysentery,
V. Choleri/Elter-Cholera,
Entamoeba Histolytica- Amoebic colitis/Dysentery/Liver amoebiasis,
Hepatitis A virus-Hepatitis,
Echinococcus- Hydatid disease at different organs,
Worm diseases like hook worm, round and tape worm etc,
Viruses like Rota virus-Diarrhea.
Hook worm larva present in contaminated soil penetrate the skin of bare foot to lodge into the body to cause disease. Some are carried to the system by contaminated water, food and raw eaten vegetables. So, prevention of the food and drink contamination is an important step to prevent a large number of diseases. That is why; latrine is essential in each house.
In India, having a toilet in the home near to the bed room or kitchen is thought to be unhealthy practice. This concept is gradually changing. But, the main constraint is economic backwardness, where people first think of food with the limited earnings, than to have a toilet in place. This is the main cause of open air defecation. Since long Govt. and voluntary organizations in India providing latrines in collaboration, at a subsidized rate and sometimes free. But, problem is encountered where the person does not have own land for construction of a latrine. This is typically the scenario in urban slums built on encroached govt. land. Rehabilitation of these people and prevention of further menace of slum will be an appropriate step in preventing food and water contamination in a locality.
It is not an impossible task, if will power is exhibited.

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