Julia Thompson wrote:
"Robert J. Chassell" wrote:The atmosphere in a sub is very clean as you would imagine it would have to be. They create oxygen via electrolysis, scrub CO, Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen from the air with special machinery, and have electrostatic precipitators all over the boat to remove aerosols from the atmosphere. Floors and bathrooms are cleaned daily and a thorough cleaning of the ship is conducted weekly (field day). Many products we take for granted are not allowed on board - no shaving cream, aerosol sprays, or anything with bleach, most glues and paints etc.
Perhaps continually releasing new microbes will have the effect; but I
think the novel employs some literary exaggeration. Is it not true
that in practice, in a closed community, you don't get colds, not
after the beginning? When he was in the navy, Fred spent months under
water in a nuclear submarine. He said that after a short time, no one
caught any more colds.
Once everyone is exposed to all the available microbes and dealt with them, if no new microbes are introduced, that's it. Right?
I guess the opposite of a submarine would be a toddler room in a
day-care center....
When you've been submerged for a long time and vent to the atmosphere, the smell can be overwhelming because you've been used to such a pure atmosphere.
Doug
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