Biology class went on a summer trip to South America: 2 adults, 10 high school students. They came in with diarrhea. The biology teacher who took them says “It can’t have been the water. We were drinking bottled water.”
I replied “What water did you use to brush your teeth?”
She says, “The water in the hotel.”
I ask, “Did your drinks have ice in them?”
Of course they did.
Yeah. Biology teacher.
31 Comments
SiG · June 30, 2025 at 10:01 am
Biology **teacher**? Stunning. I guess I’m too way out of touch.
TRX · July 1, 2025 at 10:08 am
Biology teacher: someone with a “degree in Education” who has the course guide and answer book.
No knowledge of biology needed. Actually, probably not even wanted, because that might tempt them to deviate from the approved course material.
McChuck · June 30, 2025 at 10:43 am
Most people memorize facts. Understanding is rare.
Nick Flandrey · June 30, 2025 at 11:05 am
I was sick for 3 weeks after brushing my teeth with tap water in Shanghai.
For three weeks I had been very careful, keeping eyes and mouth closed during showers, drinking only bottled water (and beer or boiled tea), brushing my teeth with bottled water…. but on my last night, after an all-nighter to get finished with the job, I was so wiped out that even with a bottle of water sitting right there, I brushed then rinsed with tap water.
I immediately knew I’d messed up, and was expelling my previously used food in no time. I did the same upon arrival at the airport and in the airport lounge. I ate a couple of imodium tablets, slept for the 4 hour flight to Narita, emptied myself again, and again. Took more imodium, and slept for the 14 hour flight home.
My guts were messed up for three weeks before I returned to normal.
FWIW, the water in Shanghai wasn’t cloudy, but had a tint to it, and had a strong industrial chemical smell. You knew from looking at it and smelling it not to drink it. I didn’t even want to shower in it. Avoiding ice wasn’t a problem as ice in drinks isn’t a thing there.
The biology teacher was an idiot, but even with knowledge, you have to be perfect every time…
nick
Jester · June 30, 2025 at 11:37 am
Yeah… I mean I can give a bit of a pass as everyone blanks out sometimes. However, when you make it a point to drink only bottled water then are surprised when the rest of the stuff gets you sick that’s another story. I do note however it could have been the food itself they consumed that got them ill, either for being tainted with something or something their bodies had to adjust to even if cooked properly. But of all those things a biology teacher should understand and know that. Which is why I really put less and less stock in to higher level education.
TRX · July 1, 2025 at 10:15 am
Most bottled water simply comes from a city water main, just like the water you’re trying to avoid. And even if it actually does come from a “spring” somewhere, that doesn’t mean it’s without microorganisms that might want to party with your intestinal flora.
A few years ago I was trying to find bottled water without flouride, as our local water is both floridated and chloridates. So much chlorine it smells like public pool water and makes my eyes water.
About all the labels on the bottles would say was “filtered.” Most brands had “minerals added.” (probably a handwave for whatever was in the water to begin with) Their web sites were remarkably chary of providing useful information.
Note: these were all cheap or “house” brands. “Name brand” bottled water costs as much as, or more, than soft drinks in my area, indicating a truly stunning markup.
Jester · July 1, 2025 at 8:55 pm
Yeah most “drinking or bottled” water is just tap water from hopefully a clean source. Distilled is exactly that, distilled so it’s down to a neutral PH but not always the most enjoyable to drink.
Gerry · June 30, 2025 at 12:41 pm
You know it’s third world, I mean developing countries, when you need to keep your mouth and eyes closed in the shower, then rinse your face off with bottled water.
When you take so much imodium that you shit green legos when you finally get home.
Cederq · June 30, 2025 at 12:43 pm
Duh! In Bosnia we drank only bottled water and brushed our teeth with bottled water and if the drink/soda wasn’t cold, we drank it warm. Only place we drank and ate was in our FB or lager and even then wondered how pure the water was from the purification plant.
Anonymous · June 30, 2025 at 1:59 pm
Years back, I had a dive buddy/friend who was also a fireman/rescue medic. On trips to Mexico, etc., he WOULDN’T drink local water or anything with ice in it or salads. Basically anything with local water in or on it. He would only drink beer or whiskey. Brushed his teeth with beer, etc. On one trip there was an MD with a bag full of drugs for any occasion. Guess who got sick as a dog? Also, don’t eat anything with pork in it!
Grumpy51 · June 30, 2025 at 3:05 pm
Objective data does not support subjective complaint (or information, in this case)
Old Maine Farmer · June 30, 2025 at 3:28 pm
Montezuma seems to be in lots of places; most of Africa and the Middle East, as well as Mexico. We are thankful for clean water here in the states.
TRX · July 1, 2025 at 10:16 am
I’m sure clean water is somehow racist, sexist, ableist, or all three.
Honk Honk · June 30, 2025 at 3:53 pm
Biology is a construct of the white male patriarchy.
EDU=commie RAT POS vermin.
Aesop · June 30, 2025 at 4:53 pm
Common Core grad teacher Common Core students.
This is how ‘tards reproduce and multiply.
QED
Tom762 · June 30, 2025 at 5:19 pm
Hahahahahahahahahahahahagagagagagagagqgwgagy2eudjrjjejejshg!
Sry! That is f**king funny!
Sailor Paul · June 30, 2025 at 10:12 pm
When I was an undergrad bio major, everyone who failed organic chem in sophomore year, which was… not especially challenging, went into teaching. I published my first monograph that year. I had time, even though I was still running a commercial fishing company. The next year, the meat and potatoes bio classes, microbio, biochemistry, physiology, did for another 1/3 shunted off to teaching.
So… yeah, teaching is the circus where the retards and sub-midwits go in biology.
Set yiur expectations accordingly.
Also, getting giardia or or other fun bugs is a right of passage for biologists. Good training.
TRX · July 1, 2025 at 10:22 am
That reminds me of when I was being stalked by a Navy recruiter in high school. My ASVAB scores were good, so they were trying to entice me into signing up for the “Navy Nuke” program.
I was smart enough to realize that, despite scoring well on the test, I hated math with a burning passion, and that program was likely to have a whole lot of math.
In a moment of inspiration I asked, “What is the drop-out rate for Nuke?”
recruiter: “75%”
me: “For the program?”
recruiter: “Per quarter.” The nuke training was several years long; you had to sign up for an extended hitch to compensate, but if you washed out, you were still stuck with the full hitch.
Uh, no, thanks.
Divemedic · July 1, 2025 at 12:17 pm
That’s what happened to me. They washed you out for every reason imaginable.
Aesop · July 3, 2025 at 3:28 am
That’s because no one goes to the recruiter to sign up for working the engine room spaces.
You’ve gotta get your Black Gang recruits from somewhere.
Boneman · July 1, 2025 at 4:23 am
I hope you gave the teacher a nice big large “F” in RED SHARPIE directly on the FOREHEAD. It is interesting though… how the natives have immunity to such things.
And one has to wonder… When we traveled to Mexico our Physician would put us on Cipro as a prophylactic. Made sense to me and we never had an issue. Not that we were not diligent in our efforts.
Divemedic · July 1, 2025 at 6:37 am
People there get just as sick from water as anyone else. In fact, water-borne pathogens are one of the major factors behind their higher child mortality rates.
Giardia and crypto are parasites, you can’t become “immune” to parasites as you can towards bacteria and viruses.
In third-world countries they try to deal with the pathogens by boiling their drinking water.
@HomeInSC · July 1, 2025 at 9:24 am
Once flew in a Huey with my wife and my FIL from the base in Manila to a party in a somewhat remote area near Nosugbu where some of the generals had beach houses. It was the Christmas party for the company that had been delayed by some kerfuffle or coup attempt in Makati. I drank some ice water from a pitcher. My FIL said don’t drink that. Then I noticed that he and all his buddies were drinking bottled water. I lost quite a bit of weight š¬ Immodium and pepto made it ~almost~ bearable.
TRX · July 1, 2025 at 10:24 am
Huh. I wonder if Central/South Americans coming to America or Canada get “gringo’s revenge.”
-rightwingterrorist · July 1, 2025 at 7:13 pm
Hopefully soon.
JB · July 1, 2025 at 6:16 pm
Had a business trip to Chile in 2000 for a week and got sick as a dog even as I avoided everything uncooked, drinking only beer, bottled water and Coke. What was cooked was like dumpster discards and while I stayed in a Class A hotel, when I was in the countryside it was worse. Dog meat no doubt and the food handling was third world when in the small towns I was surveying. Even the beer I suspected to be crawling with biologicals. It was one week in GI Hell. After that I refused to leave CONUS no matter how much I was paid.
Terrapod · July 1, 2025 at 8:31 pm
There you have pointed out the vast difference between book learning in academe and “street smarts”.
I grew up in S. America and rarely got sick from food borne pathogens, rules were simple, wash it well with “water Jane” (diluted sodium hypochlorite ) if you plan to eat it raw, or cook it properly over fire of boiling long enough to overcome anything residing therein. Oh, and never but never eat watercress, even the water Jane was not enough to clear it for human consumption.
Drink water from sealed bottle, preferably carbonated to prove it was sealed at source and never use ice from any source unless from home where water was filtered and treated with a tiny bit of water jane. Rules are different in the U.S.A. of today or the E,U, but that is what was the way in the 1950’s and a practice carried out everywhere I have traveled for business over past 40+ years (a lot of third world countries). Cheers, stay healthy..
Ned · July 2, 2025 at 5:22 pm
Would you happen to know WHERE in South America this happened? Just curious now as to whether Argentina or Uruguay would have such a problem.
Divemedic · July 3, 2025 at 5:10 pm
Ecuador
Vlad the non-Impaler · July 4, 2025 at 2:24 am
I went to a *very* well publicized resort in Mexico for my 1st honeymoon. The place that states ALL the water is or bottled, even water for the ice. (Puerto Vallerta)
I went for a wander about the grounds and in the way back section of said grounds, I found a group of Yaqui bean squashers filling up the ābottledā water containers with water from a hose.
The same water supply that left visible sand in the sink when washing your hands. My new bride and I were on a week long regimen of antibiotics for just that reason. We didnāt get the squirts until we were back in the states. Donāt trust anybody about anything in these situations!
Aesop · July 5, 2025 at 3:22 pm
Turd World PSA:
https://i.imgur.com/n7em3PF.jpg
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