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From: bob@ozdaltx.UUCP (Bob Culmer)
Newsgroups: sci.med,sci.med.aids,soc.motss
Subject: Re: question about ultroviolet lamps and germs
Keywords: ultroviolet light, aids, germs, ideas
Message-ID: <1990Dec12.021850.5003@cs.ucla.edu>
Date: 11 Dec 90 18:07:13 GMT
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In article <1990Dec10.214104.21682@cs.ucla.edu>, !maa@ssc-vax (Mark A Allyn) writes:

Some interesting questions about germicidal lamps etc.

> First of all, does anyone out there in sci.physics land or sci.med land know
> how an ultroviolot light kills viruses and bacteria? Is it the same effect 
> that causes eye damage to humans? Can someone give me a kind of nutshell 
> explanation of the physics/medical/photochemical whatever stuff involved?

The exact mechanics of how the UV light kills bacteria and viruses
escapes me at the moment, but yes it does work on most bacteria and
viruses.  The damage to looking at it has more to do with injury to
the retina.  The UV light does not cause the pupil to contract as much
as it would in normal light, yet the UV can still burn the retina.
Something along the lines of having your eyes dilated and staring into
the sun, but without the physical cues that you were being hurt.

> What kind of ultroviolot light is involved? Near visable or deep ultroviolot? 
> Is it the same ultroviolot that is used for 'black' lights in bars and 
> theater? For that matter, why is it safe to look at the 'black' lights and 
> not at those ultroviolot lights designed to kill germs?

I'm not sure, but suspect that the germicidal UV's use shorter wave
length (far ultraviolet).  But the real difference between the black
lights of bars and the germicidal would be total power - like bulb
wattage. And BTW, I wouldn't recommend staring at the black lights in
bars either. 

> Next question - can these concept be helpfull in the arena of aids? 

Actually I recall reading about some technique that was being
investigated where the blood was circulated through a series of tubes
that were exposed to the UV light, similar mechanics to the blood
heating treatment that made the news.  I think the same problems would
be that if successful, it would lower the level of HIV in the
bloodstream but there would still be residual infection in other
tissues of the body which would eventually repopulate the blood with
more virus - if successful it would be a treatment not a cure.

> For example, make a special ultroviolot fixture that is encased in a 
> dildo and insert it into a vagina or anus just before sex, turn on 
> the ultroviolot light, and kill the aids virus and then go ahead and 
> have sex? Or better still, have a fixture shaped like a cylinder with 
> ultroviolot light bulbs around it (shielded from your eyes) and stick 
> you penis into it for a while before having sex?

You've got some imagination!  I like your style - but I'm afraid that
the idea has several drawbacks - first with the virus circulating in
someone's blood the anus or vagina would simply be "reinfected" the
instant the light was off and the next volume of blood pumped through.
Then the second and more serious matter might be the intensity of this
light.  Remember that UV is also what tans you (burns you) and I have 
a little problem with the possibility of getting a "sunburn" on my
penis (we won't even discuss inside my anus).
> 
> Final question - what would happen if units of donated blood are subject to
> bombardment of ultroviolot energy? Would the aids virus be killed? Has any
> one out there allready thaught of this??

The testing of the blood is cheaper - I think - and I'm not sure but
that some of the hospitals or blood banks ARE doing something like
this, for things above and beyond HIV.  
> 
> Thanks! I hope this stirs up some thought.	

Well you certainly did. Now what I want to know is when the light is
inside you can your partner see a glow from your tummy?
-- 
Bob Culmer - Dallas        | "Oh no, my dear, I'm a very good man. 
Somewhere over the rainbow |  I'm just a very bad Wizard." 
...in the Land of OZ       | 
            {mic,void,egsner}!ozdaltx!bob