What does that have to do with cleaning ladies of 1900 america?
In 1900, prior to antibiotics, such sloth could easily result in a ‘preventable in 2010 with antibiotics’ death.
I’ve got a copy of one of the nursing textbooks my great aunt used when she was in nursing school in 1932. There are several whole CHAPTERS on hygiene, cleaning and sterility techniques to be used with patients particularly those post surgery.
I have been in the hospital with 3 major surgeries in the past 10 years and have NEVER seen one of the nurses practice those techniques with me.
I’ll give an example. The nurses did rounds. Going from room to room. At no time did they avail themselves of the sinks in my room to wash their hands in spite of the fact that there was antimicrobial soap and cleanser at both of those. There are no sinks in the hall. You’re not going to convince me she went from each room on that loooong hall of patients back to the bathroom behind the nurses station to wash her hands between each patient.