Spit and a Hanky …

Johnny-on-the-Spot … by John Foster …

We clean and heal differently these days.

Stumble and fall on the drive-way as a kid in the 50’s and 60’s and Mom would grab the mercurochrome, or Bactine.

Sometimes she’d clean that “boo-boo” with soap and water but on other occasions it would be a “little spit and a hanky” used to “clean” the wound.

Then she’d dab a little mercurochrome on it or spray a little Bactine.

Sometimes iodine was applied.

Both mercurochrome and iodine contained mercury and ethanol.

That made ’em sting.

Iodine burned and while it killed microbes, it also damaged skin cells.

Mercurochrome left that orange-red stain on the skin but it showed proof you were injured at one time.

Most of those common treatments, called “tinctures” were mixed with alcohol and that’s what stung.

Bactine didn’t use alcohol so it didn’t sting and in came out in 1950.

Studies seem to indicate it’s pretty much a standoff when comparing the antiseptic powers of Bactine and Neosporin.

In those days when we played baseball, nobody wore batting gloves.

We’d spit in our hands and grab some dusty dirt.

There’s “spit” again.

Not only a first aid treatment but a batting grip enhancer.

Henry Aaron never used batting gloves and he finished with 755 home runs in his career.

“Hammerin’ Hank” never wasted time in the batter’s box adjusting his batting gloves.

He grabbed some dust and a little spit.

Must’ve worked.

Back in the day, players used “stickum” to enhance their ability to grip.

The Oakland Raiders defensive back Lester Hayes used to slather the stuff on and it prompted the NFL in 1981 to come up with “The Lester Hayes Rule” ruling out “adhesive or slippery substances on the body, equipment, or uniform of any player.”

Now players have gloves that are just as effective as “stickum” used to be.

I remember playing sandlot football on Keller Drive in Mansfield, Ohio and Ray Cervinski used to always lick his fingers and hands before handling the ball.

I don’t know if it improved his grip but the ball got stinky late in the game.

Baseball players also used pine tax on their bats and that led to the 1983 “Pine Tar Incident”.

In a game between the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees, Royals 3rd baseman George Brett hit a two-run homer to give his team the lead.

But the Yankees protested, saying Brett had too much pine tar on his bat.

The umpires ruled the amount of pine tax exceeded the amount the rules allowed and called Brett out, prompting his infamous storming out of the dugout.

A 5-4 Royals lead became a 4-3 Yankee lead and a win.

The Royals protested and the game was resumed 25 days later and the Royals wound up wining 5-4.

Brett’s “pine tar bat” is in the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame.

The rules say pine tar can only be applied up to 18 inches from the knob of the bat.

I’ll bet some of Mom’s spit and a hanky could remove the excess.

Before we had todays “wet wipes”, a little Mom spit on a hanky would be used to clean our faces if we got sloppy eating our ice cream cones or candy.

When spit was not used for cleaning purposes, it’s main job is to keep the pH balanced in our mouths.

It’s 99% water plus electrolytes ,mucus, white blood cells, epithelial cells (from which DNA can be extracted), enzymes and anti-microbial agents.

We never had to worry about Mom running out of that amazing cleaning solution, because we typically produce just over 50 fluid ounces of spit daily.

Other types of spit include a slender, pointed rod for holding meat over a fire or a small point of land (especially sand or gravel) running into a body of water.

(See Pelee Point on Pelee Island in Lake Erie.)

“Spit” is also a card game for two players where speed and quick reflexes are important.

Some call the game “Speed” or “Slam”.

Do Moms still use spit and hankies for cleaning today?

I doubt it.

Hankies are a vanishing item and wet wipes have stepped in to handle the cleaning duties.

But remember, Mom, there’s still 50+ fluid ounces of spit available if needed.