Let me say AMEN to this bit on cysts.  And a personal experience to stress
the importance here.  About 1995, I picked up a nice little critter called
blastocystis hominis (IIRC).  It was a tough little bug, and took me about
two years to be rid of it.  According to my doctor, it has the ability to
encapsulate itself and wait out anti-biotics.  The anti-biotics that I was
given were so strong that I was instructed not to even use cologne, as the
alcohol absorbed by my skin had the potential to make me sick.  Unreal.
After 50 days (!!) of these anti-biotics, the cysts were still detectable,
but seemed to be at a level that they weren't making me sick any longer.  I
have never experienced anything like the symptoms from this--made stomach
flu look like club Med.  Three days of misery, every six weeks, like
clockwork, for two years.

I guess what I'm saying is that it's worth the trouble to make sure your
water is as clean as you can possibly get it--sometimes a 24-hour case of
Montezuma's Revenge isn't the worst that can happen.  Since then, I've used
the Sweetwater Guardian with the iodine virus cartridge (no longer
available), and have heard that the new MSR pumps do a great job too.

tx,
bmc  :)
Ben McCafferty
ben@volkscafe.com

Volks Cafe
1823 Soquel Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA  95062
831-426-1244
http://www.volkscafe.com

> From: pensioner <al_knoll@PACBELL.NET>
> Reply-To: pensioner <al_knoll@PACBELL.NET>
> Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2003 14:54:15 -0800
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Water Filtration vs Water Purification
>
> Some cysts are tough enough to not be
> destroyed in the short time they are exposed to iodine.